Curfman Lake
Becker County, Minnesota121 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Curfman Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 24 ft max depth
- Limited data
Curfman Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 120.91 acres.
Curfman Lake is a 121-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Curfman Lake ranks #57 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Curfman Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Curfman Lake 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.
Water quality measurements for Curfman Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Curfman Lake, 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 12 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.2 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Curfman Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Curfman Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 205 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Curfman Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1970-07-09 (Standard Survey).
From the 1970-07-09 survey
Curfman Lake, or Deadshot Bay as it is more commonly known by area residents, is a part of Detroit Lake. There is no obstacle to block the movement of fish between the two lakes. Curfman Lake provides some of the best nursery and spawning habitat found on Detroit Lake for numerous fish species. The lake is most…
Lake Details
Max depth
24 ft
Surface area
121 acres
Shoreline
1.9 mi
Littoral zone
70%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
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Stays near Curfman Lake
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Fishing Curfman Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.23 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable0 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Curfman Lake
Where is Curfman Lake?
- Curfman Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Curfman Lake?
- Curfman Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 120.91 acres.
Is Curfman Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Curfman Lake?
- Curfman Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 205 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Curfman Lake?
- Curfman Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 120.91 acres.
Can I fish at Curfman Lake?
- Public access to Curfman Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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.
Explore Curfman Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA24 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder