Games Lake
Kandiyohi County, Minnesota527 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Games Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
Games Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 526.7 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 2.00 walleye per gill net at Games Lake. DNR survey details →
Games Lake is a 527-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. 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 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Games Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Games Lake covers about 530 acres in Kandiyohi County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Games Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Games Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Deep water42 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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. Games Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Games 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 Games Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Games Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.5 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 31.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Games Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Games Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Games Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 2.00 walleye per gill net at Games Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Games Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 54.29 | ||
| Bluegill | 30.79 | 3–7 in 2024-07-08 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.26 | 5–8 in 2024-07-08 | 0.09 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.96 | 6–19 in 2024-07-08 | 0.8 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-07-08 survey
A standard survey of Games Lake was conducted in early July of 2024. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e., spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which samples a wider range of fish species during the summer months using standard…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Games Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GamesFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GamesFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GamesPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
527 acres
Shoreline
4.6 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,188 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Games Lake (South)Public
- Games Lake (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Games Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Games Lake 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 Games Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Games 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
Worsening+0.76 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+2.25 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Games Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN34-0224-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Games Lake
Where is Games Lake?
- Games Lake 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 Games Lake?
- Games Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 526.7 acres.
Is Games Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Games Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Games Lake?
- Games Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Games Lake?
- Games Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 526.7 acres.
What fish are in Games Lake?
- Fish species found in Games Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shortnose gar, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Games Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Games Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 2.00 walleye per gill net at Games Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Games Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Games Lake?
- Games Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Games Lake (South), Games Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Games Lake?
- Games Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Games Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Kandiyohi County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Games Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Games Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
78 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
MNPCA78 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)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory