George Lake
George Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 612.45 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 612 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
George Lake is a 612-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 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 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, George Lake ranks #89 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near George Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near George Lake in Cass 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
George Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 59 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full George Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for George Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (13,677 cells/mL) on November 15, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 612 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 99% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake GeorgePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing George Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-02 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Bullhead | 66.09 | 0.21 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.18 | 0.33 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.52 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 9.75 | 0.38 lb |
| GOS | 5.55 | — |
| Northern Pike | 5.17 | 1.37 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.
Brown Bullhead
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-06-02 survey
George is a 612-acre lake near the city of Outing in Cass County. It has a DNR owned access, with a concrete ramp, on the south end of the lake. A standard survey using gill nets and trap nets was conducted in June 2025 to assess fish populations from recent winterkill events and provide information to anglers.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for George Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GeorgeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — George (1521)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GeorgeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GeorgePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.146 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
George Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN11-0059-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.91 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #89 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
George Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about George Lake
What is the water quality grade for George Lake?
- George Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 612.45 acres.
Is George Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. George Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of George Lake?
- George Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 59 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is George Lake?
- George Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 612.45 acres.
What fish are in George Lake?
- Fish species found in George Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. George Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Does George Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for George Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (13,677 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on George Lake?
- George Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake George. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore George Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
59 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
MNPCA59 samples · 2020–2025
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