Elkhorn Lake
Elkhorn Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 78.99 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 41 ft
- Area
- 79 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Kandiyohi County
Elkhorn Lake is a 79-acre mesotrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 41 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Elkhorn Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Elkhorn Lake
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Water Temperature
Elkhorn Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°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 (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Elkhorn Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 41 ft |
| Surface Area | 79 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 38% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Green Lake (South)Public
- Kandiyohi County Park No. 4 (Southwest)Public
- Elkhorn LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elkhorn 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-26 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 53.76 | 1.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 50.43 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.19 | 0.09 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.74 | 0.14 lb |
| Walleye | 4.99 | 2.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.74 | 0.65 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2023-06-26 survey
A standard survey of Elkhorn Lake was conducted in late-June of 2023. Survey methodology and gears used to sample the Elkhorn fish population included six standard trapnets, two large frame trapnets and June night boat electrofishing. Gillnets are an optional survey gear for lakes under 100 acres. Gillnets were not…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elkhorn Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElkhornFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ElkhornFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ElkhornPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.064 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.84 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.59 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Elkhorn Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Elkhorn Lake Rearing Pond (completed 1969), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Crow River Middle Fork; earth-type dam, 13 ft tall and 170 ft long.
- Surface area
- 72 ac
- Normal storage
- 640 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of Kandiyohi
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00498 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.84 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 25 lakes in Kandiyohi County
Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Elkhorn Lake
What is the water quality grade for Elkhorn Lake?
- Elkhorn Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 78.99 acres.
Is Elkhorn Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Elkhorn Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Elkhorn Lake?
- Elkhorn Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 51 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elkhorn Lake?
- Elkhorn Lake has a maximum depth of 41 feet. The lake covers 78.99 acres.
What fish are in Elkhorn Lake?
- Fish species found in Elkhorn Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shortnose gar, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Elkhorn Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Elkhorn Lake?
- Elkhorn Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Green Lake (South), Kandiyohi County Park No. 4 (Southwest), Elkhorn Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Elkhorn Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
119 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA119 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 (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory