George Watch Lake
Anoka County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for George Watch Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
George Watch Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 270 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.5 µg/L.
George Watch Lake is a lake in Anoka County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 34 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-06-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. George Watch Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether George Watch 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 Watch Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for George Watch Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Phosphorus 270 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.5 µg/L. TSI 66.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 270µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 11.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 66 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about George Watch Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
George Watch Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Oct (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (84°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full George Watch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~34 ft est.
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for George Watch Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
74 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
477 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
5.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
863 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
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Stays near George Watch Lake
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Fishing George Watch 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
EPA Impairment Status
George Watch 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 MN02-0005-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Anoka County
Frequently asked questions about George Watch Lake
Where is George Watch Lake?
- George Watch Lake is a lake in Anoka 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 Watch Lake?
- George Watch Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 270 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.5 µg/L.
Is George Watch Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. George Watch 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 Watch Lake?
- George Watch Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is George Watch Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers George Watch Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 34 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Can I fish at George Watch Lake?
- Public access to George Watch 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.
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA8 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder