Gorman Lake
Gorman Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 531.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 47 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 521.12 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 521 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Gorman Lake →
Next lake in Le Sueur County
Gorman Lake is a 521-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Le Sueur County, Gorman Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 3.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 531.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 47 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 74.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 531.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 47 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Gorman Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gorman 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 Gorman Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Gorman Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Gorman Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Gorman Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 521 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sabre LakePublic
- Gorman Lake (West)Public
- Gorman Lake (South)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Gorman Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Gorman Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gorman Lake (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the Cannon River; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 60 ft long.
- Surface area
- 521 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,493 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,990 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 69 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00154 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Gorman 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 MN40-0032-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Gorman Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Le Center WwtpLe Center · 4.5 mi away · NPDES MN0023931
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 13 lakes in Le Sueur County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Gorman Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Le Sueur County
Frequently asked questions about Gorman Lake
What is the water quality grade for Gorman Lake?
- Gorman Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 531.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 47 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 521.12 acres.
Is Gorman 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. Gorman Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 47 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Gorman Lake?
- Gorman Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Gorman Lake?
- Gorman Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 521.12 acres.
What fish are in Gorman Lake?
- Fish species found in Gorman Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, freshwater drum, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, quillback, walleye, white bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Gorman Lake is located in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Gorman Lake?
- Gorman Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sabre Lake, Gorman Lake (West), Gorman Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Gorman Lake across LakeGrade
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Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
25 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA25 samples · 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory