Currant Lake
Currant Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 160 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9.5 ft. Surface area: 405.74 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 9.5 ft
- Area
- 406 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Murray County
Currant Lake is a 406-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Murray County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Murray County, Currant Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 160 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 64.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 160 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Currant Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Currant Lake in Murray 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
Currant Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Aug (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Currant Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 406 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Currant Lake (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Currant Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.033 m/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Currant Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN51-0082-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 9 lakes in Murray County
Nearby Lakes in Murray County
Frequently asked questions about Currant Lake
What is the water quality grade for Currant Lake?
- Currant Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 160 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9.5 ft. Surface area: 405.74 acres.
Is Currant Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Currant Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Currant Lake?
- Currant Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Currant Lake?
- Currant Lake has a maximum depth of 9.5 feet. The lake covers 405.74 acres.
What fish are in Currant Lake?
- Fish species found in Currant Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, brown bullhead, common carp, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Currant Lake is located in Murray County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Currant Lake?
- Currant Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Currant Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Currant Lake across LakeGrade
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
9 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
MNPCA9 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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