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LakeQuality

Crow River Mill Pond

Kandiyohi County, Minnesota2,290 acresView mapDirections

Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Crow River Mill Pond. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity
10.2 ft
Typical for Minnesota
Secchi · sampled 2025
Water temp
~70°F
Typical for Sep · EPA WQP
Max depth
14 ft
Bathymetric survey
Area
2,290 acres
Surface area
Trend
Improving
6 years of samples
Shoreline
37.8 mi
Measured length
  • Impaired · Mercury
  • 14 ft max depth
  • Public access
  • Limited data

Crow River Mill Pond in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 2290.4 acres.

Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 8, 2023 caught 2.75 northern pike per trap net at Crow River Mill Pond. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–30 inches. DNR survey details →

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Crow River Mill Pond is a 2,290-acre lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet (4-foot average). 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.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Crow River Mill Pond is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Clear water10.2 ft of visibility
  • Fishing13 species recorded
  • Big water2,290 acres

Swimming conditions

No reading

Limited data

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Crow River Mill Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Crow River Mill Pond is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Crow River Mill Pond

These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Crow River Mill Pond, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft. TSI 44.

Water quality readings
MeasureReadingWhere it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)10.2ftMeasured, not scored

How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.

Total phosphorusNo reading

The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential.

Chlorophyll-a (algae)No reading

The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.

Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.44Mesotrophic
OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about Crow River Mill Pond

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Crow River Mill Pond typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
72°
Jun
77°
Jul
75°
Aug
70°
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (70°F) to its warmest (77°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.

DNR fisheries survey

Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 8, 2023 caught 2.75 northern pike per trap net at Crow River Mill Pond. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–30 inches.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crow River Mill Pond’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-08 (Targeted Survey).

7 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-08 (Targeted Survey)

SpeciesCatch rate (CPUE)SizeAvg weight
Black Bullhead
25.60
4–11 in
2023-06-08
0.19 lb
Yellow Bullhead
13.99
5–10 in
2023-06-08
0.24 lb
Brown Bullhead
11.44
4–9 in
2003-06-16
0.28 lb
Pumpkinseed
8.00
4–7 in
2023-06-08
0.17 lb
Bluegill
7.69
3–8 in
2018-05-29
0.21 lb
Northern Pike
5.73
9–30 in
2023-06-08
1.59 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.

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

16 fish · 4–11 in · 2023-06-08
4204567891011

Yellow Bullhead

94 fish · 5–10 in · 2023-06-08
351805678910

Brown Bullhead

352 fish · 4–9 in · 2003-06-16
174870456789

Pumpkinseed

18 fish · 4–7 in · 2023-06-08
9504567

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…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crow River Mill Pond. 4 reports on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Lake Details

Max depth

14 ft

Average depth

3.8 ft

Surface area

2,290 acres

Shoreline

37.8 mi

Littoral zone

99%

Share shallower than 15 ft

Public access

Yes

Listed by Minnesota PCA

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Stays near Crow River Mill Pond

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crow River 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Crow River Mill Pond

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Fish Species

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Crow River Mill Pond

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

  • Water clarity

    Improving

    6 years

  • Phosphorus

    Improving

    -1.63 µg/L/yr6 years

  • Chlorophyll-a

    Improving

    -1.55 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Crow River 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 (0.18 km)

EPA Impairment Status

Crow River 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

Mercury

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN34-0158-04 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County

Frequently asked questions about Crow River Mill Pond

Where is Crow River Mill Pond?

Crow River Mill Pond is a lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water quality of Crow River Mill Pond?

Crow River Mill Pond in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 2290.4 acres.

Measurements on this page ↑

Is Crow River Mill Pond safe to swim in?

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Crow River Mill Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.

Swimming on this page ↑

What is the water temperature of Crow River Mill Pond?

Crow River Mill Pond typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

Temp on this page ↑

How deep is Crow River Mill Pond?

Crow River 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 River Mill Pond?

Fish species found in Crow River 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 River Mill Pond is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.

Fish on this page ↑

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crow River Mill Pond?

Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 8, 2023 caught 2.75 northern pike per trap net at Crow River Mill Pond. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–30 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crow River Mill Pond’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

DNR on this page ↑

Can I fish at Crow River Mill Pond?

Public access to Crow River Mill Pond is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Where this data comes from

9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA9 samples · 2024–2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.

Other records on this page

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder