Crow R Mill Pond
Crow R Mill Pond in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 2290.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 2,290 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Kandiyohi County
Crow R Mill Pond is a 2,290-acre mesotrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet (4-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Crow R Mill Pond ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Crow R Mill Pond
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crow R Mill Pond in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Water Temperature
Crow R Mill Pond typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 51 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crow R Mill Pond water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft |
| Average Depth | 3.8 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,290 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 37.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 99% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Middle Fork Crow River, Joe NeerPublic
- Middle Fork Crow River, County Road 9Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crow R Mill Pond
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 25.60 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 13.99 | 0.24 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 11.44 | 0.28 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 8.00 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluegill | 7.69 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.73 | 1.59 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Bass
Brown Bullhead
Pumpkinseed
From the 2023-06-08 survey
A targeted trapnet survey of Middle Fork Crow Reservoir "MFCR", also known as Monongalia or Mud Lake, was conducted in early June of 2023. The purpose of the survey was to determine the extent of a partial winterkill in February/March of 2023. Four lake survey trapnets were set at standard stations. At least one…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crow R Mill Pond. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lake MonongaliaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lake Monongalia (0848)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Lake MonongaliaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lake MonongaliaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.122 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.63 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.55 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Crow R Mill Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the New London (completed 1864), built primarily for recreation on the Crow River Middle Fork; earth-type dam, 22 ft tall and 13 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 7,025 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 13,371 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 102 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MNDNR-Fisheries
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00062 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.66 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Crow R Mill Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN34-0158-03 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.04 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 25 lakes in Kandiyohi County
Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Crow R Mill Pond
What is the water quality grade for Crow R Mill Pond?
- Crow R Mill Pond in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 2290.4 acres.
Is Crow R Mill Pond safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Crow R Mill Pond has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Crow R Mill Pond?
- Crow R Mill Pond typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 51 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crow R Mill Pond?
- Crow R Mill Pond has a maximum depth of 14 feet and an average depth of 3.8 feet. The lake covers 2290.4 acres.
What fish are in Crow R Mill Pond?
- Fish species found in Crow R Mill Pond include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Crow R Mill Pond is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Crow R Mill Pond?
- Crow R Mill Pond has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Middle Fork Crow River, Joe Neer, Middle Fork Crow River, County Road 9. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crow R Mill Pond across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
88 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA88 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory