George Lake
George Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 825.72 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 29 ft
- Area
- 826 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 21
- Open water
- 212 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Free interactive depth-contour map of George Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 25 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
George Lake is a 826-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, George Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-12. 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 12.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near George Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near George Lake in Hubbard 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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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
George Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 76°F) and coldest in Sep (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2018–2021) 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 moderate (59,156 cells/mL) on April 3, 2024.
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 | 29 ft |
| Surface Area | 826 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 55% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing George 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Bass | 22.32 | 0.56 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.81 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.79 | 1 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.03 | 0.14 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 10.42 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 8.81 | 0.22 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.
Yellow Bass
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-10 survey
Lake George (29-0216-00) is an 825.72-acre lake with a maximum depth of 29 feet located near Lake George, MN. Park Rapids Fisheries staff conducted a survey targeting near shore fish species on July 10 and 11, 2024, to assess populations of non-game and small sport fish. Fourteen 100-foot sampling sites were evenly…
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 (1269)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: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.557 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.51 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.11 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (41 observations).
Estimated open water season: 212 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-14 (2024) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1986-11-07 (1986) | 2024-11-30 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-20
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 MN29-0216-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about George Lake
What is the water quality grade for George Lake?
- George Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 825.72 acres.
Is George Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. George 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 George Lake?
- George Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is George Lake?
- George Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 825.72 acres.
What fish are in George Lake?
- Fish species found in George Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. George Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does George Lake thaw?
- George Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 21. Ice typically forms around Nov 19. The open water season is approximately 212 days.
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 moderate (59,156 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore George Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA28 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate