George Lake
Martin County, Minnesota83 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for George Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
George Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 115 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 77.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 83.17 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 3.50 walleye per gill net at George Lake. DNR survey details →
George Lake is a 83-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Martin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Martin County, George Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What George Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 26
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. George Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether George 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 George Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for George Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 115 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 77.4 µg/L. TSI 71.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 115µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 77.4µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 71 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about George Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
George Lake typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in Apr (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (82°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 73 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full George Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 3.50 walleye per gill net at George Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows George Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 23.97 | 9–10 in 2025-07-28 | 0.43 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 16.69 | 8–16 in 2025-07-28 | 0.62 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.01 | 6–8 in 2025-07-28 | 0.21 lb |
| Black Crappie | 11.22 | 5–10 in 2025-07-28 | 0.3 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.07 | 3–8 in 2025-07-28 | 0.28 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.
Black Bullhead
Freshwater Drum
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2025-07-28 survey
George Lake is an 84-acre, class 40 lake that has a maximum depth of 11.0 feet, and is located within the City of Fairmont in Martin County. George Lake is the farthest downstream on a chain of five lakes collectively known as the "Fairmont Chain of Lakes". George Lake is managed primarily for Walleye and Muskellunge…
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
Lake Details
Max depth
11 ft
Surface area
83 acres
Shoreline
2.6 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- George LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near George Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near George Lake in Martin 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around George Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near George 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 George Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-8.7 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+2.63 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 26
Earliest Feb 23, 2024 · Latest Apr 29, 2018
Typical ice-in
Nov 30
Earliest Nov 13, 2018 · Latest Dec 8, 2017
Most recent ice-out
Mar 10
2026
20 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
George Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the George Lake (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the Cedar River; gravity-type dam, 14 ft tall and 72 ft long.
- Surface area
- 76 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,878 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,993 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 45 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- City of Fairmont
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00102 · Operator website
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN46-0024-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of George Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Fairmont WwtpFairmont · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MN0030112MajorRecent violation
- Fairmont Foods IncFairmont · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0001996Recent violation
- Green Plains Fairmont LlcFairmont · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MN0068063
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Martin County
Frequently asked questions about George Lake
Where is George Lake?
- George Lake is a lake in Martin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of George Lake?
- George Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 115 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 77.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 83.17 acres.
Is George Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. George Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of George Lake?
- George Lake typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October, from 73 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is George Lake?
- George Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 83.17 acres.
What fish are in George Lake?
- Fish species found in George Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. George Lake is located in Martin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at George Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 3.50 walleye per gill net at George Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows George Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does George Lake thaw?
- George Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 26. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 249 days.
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 George Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at George Lake?
- George Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 George Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
98 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
MNPCA98 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 3 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by fluorometer
- 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate