George Lake
George Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 228.14 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 228 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 228 days
Next lake in Kandiyohi County
George Lake is a 228-acre mesotrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 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 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, George Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 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 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.
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Water Temperature
George Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 65 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full George Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 228 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 49% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- George LakePublic
- Nest Lake (West)Public
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: 2025-05-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 24.53 | — |
| Bluegill | 24.15 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.42 | 0.65 lb |
| BKF | 12.25 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 8.47 | 0.07 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 5.49 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
From the 2025-05-07 survey
A targeted survey was conducted on George Lake during early May of 2025 as part of the ongoing statewide Quality Sunfish Initiative. Ten standard lake survey trapnets were set at historical stations to target Bluegill and Black Crappie. Special regulations for several area lakes (Nest, Long by Hawick, Diamond, George…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for George Lake. 3 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
- —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 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.179 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (25 observations).
Estimated open water season: 228 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-03-15 (2000) | 2013-05-08 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1997-11-16 (1997) | 1998-12-20 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-19
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 MN34-0142-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 25 lakes in Kandiyohi County
Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about George Lake
What is the water quality grade for George Lake?
- George Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 228.14 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 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of George Lake?
- George Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 65 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is George Lake?
- George Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 228.14 acres.
What fish are in George Lake?
- Fish species found in George Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. George Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
When does George Lake thaw?
- George Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 228 days.
Are there boat ramps on George Lake?
- George Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include George Lake, Nest Lake (West). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore George Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near George Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
133 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA133 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 (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate