German Lake
German Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 74 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 888.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 51 ft
- Area
- 889 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 25
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near German Lake →
Next lake in Le Sueur County
Free interactive depth-contour map of German Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
German Lake is a 889-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 51 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Le Sueur County, German Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 74 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 61.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 65.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 74 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 61.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near German Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near German Lake in Le Sueur 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around German Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near German Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
German Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Apr (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 54 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full German Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft |
| Average Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 889 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 59% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- German LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing German 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 38.12 | 0.19 lb |
| White Crappie | 20.96 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.04 | 0.71 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.12 | 0.26 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.29 | 0.17 lb |
| JND | 8.80 | — |
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
White Crappie
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
From the 2024-06-10 survey
German Lake is an 899-acre lake located in southern Le Sueur County. A DNR-owned public access is located on the north side of the lake off Le Sueur County Road 12. A public fishing pier is located on the west side of the lake near the outlet of East Jefferson Lake. Maximum depth at German Lake is 51 feet and 66% of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for German Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GermanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GermanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GermanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.075 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +7.32 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +17.06 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-01 (2024) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-19 (2022) | 2006-12-01 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-15
EPA Impairment Status
German 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 MN40-0063-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 13 lakes in Le Sueur County
Nearby Lakes in Le Sueur County
Frequently asked questions about German Lake
What is the water quality grade for German Lake?
- German Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 74 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 888.77 acres.
Is German Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. German Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 61.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of German Lake?
- German Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 54 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is German Lake?
- German Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 888.77 acres.
What fish are in German Lake?
- Fish species found in German Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, longnose gar, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shortnose gar, walleye, white bass, white crappie, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. German Lake is located in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
When does German Lake thaw?
- German Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 25.
Are there boat ramps on German Lake?
- German Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include German Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore German 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 Le Sueur County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near German Lake
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare German Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
63 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
MNPCA63 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 (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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate