George Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts George Lake at a C: clarity at 4.5 ft, 40 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 56 signal an intermediate trophic state. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

At a TSI of 56, George Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake bottoms out at 20 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 612 acres, George Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 6.8 miles of shoreline. Within the 133 graded lakes of Cass County, George Lake sits at rank 129, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at George Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 11 documented species across the lake's records. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.