George Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota9 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for George Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 32 ft max depth
- Public access
George Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 8.55 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 3, 2016 caught 2.67 walleye per hour of electrofishing at George Lake. DNR survey details →
George Lake is a 9-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 feet (16-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and common carp. Public access is available. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, George Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-10-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What George Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing8 species recorded
- Deep water32 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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. 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.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.3 ft. Phosphorus 23 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.7 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 23µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.7µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced 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 54°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 64°F) and coldest in Apr (about 44°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (44°F) to its warmest (64°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 414 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full George Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 3, 2016 caught 2.67 walleye per hour of electrofishing 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 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-03 (Targeted Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2016-06-03 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 91.42 | 2–7 in 2016-06-03 | 0.09 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 85.64 | 3–6 in 2016-06-03 | 0.08 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 53.82 | 3–19 in 2016-06-03 | 0.48 lb |
| Black Crappie | 25.45 | 6–8 in 2016-06-03 | 0.16 lb |
| Common Carp | 18.68 | 10–23 in 2016-06-03 | 2.57 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.09 | 3–6 in 2016-06-03 | 0.09 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.
Bluegill
Golden Shiner
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
From the 2016-06-03 survey
Lake George is a small lake with a unique history located within the City of St. Cloud. When originally surveyed in 1855 the lake was approximately four times larger than it is today. The lake was originally supplied with water by a combination of springs and a small creek located on the west side. Water drained…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for George Lake. 2 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
Lake Details
Max depth
32 ft
Average depth
16.1 ft
Surface area
9 acres
Shoreline
0.4 mi
Littoral zone
47%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
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Stays near George Lake
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Follow George Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing George Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Stable3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.5 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.65 µg/L/yr3 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of George Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Sysco Western MinnesotaSaint Cloud · 1.8 mi away · NPDES MN0052728
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 Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about George Lake
Where is George Lake?
- George Lake is a lake in Stearns 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 Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 8.55 acres.
Is George Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of George Lake?
- George Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October, from 414 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is George Lake?
- George Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet and an average depth of 16.1 feet. The lake covers 8.55 acres.
What fish are in George Lake?
- Fish species found in George Lake include black crappie, bluegill, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. George Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at George Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 3, 2016 caught 2.67 walleye per hour of electrofishing 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 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at George Lake?
- Public access to George Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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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Where this data comes from
125 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
MNPCA125 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder