Kego Lake
Kego Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 296.13 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 296 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Kego Lake is a 296-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Kego Lake ranks #77 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Kego Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kego Lake in Crow Wing 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.
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Water Temperature
Kego Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kego Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 296 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 57% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Kego LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kego Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 180.87 | — |
| JND | 44.95 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 34.75 | 0.12 lb |
| Black Crappie | 32.09 | 0.29 lb |
| GOS | 21.86 | 0.07 lb |
| Bluegill | 21.69 | 0.24 lb |
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.
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
GOS
Bluegill
From the 2024-08-05 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Kego Lake was conducted on August 5-6, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kego Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KegoFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Kego (0236)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — KegoPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.059 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Kego 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 MN18-0293-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #77 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Kego Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Kego Lake
What is the water quality grade for Kego Lake?
- Kego Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 296.13 acres.
Is Kego Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Kego Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 12 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Kego Lake?
- Kego Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Kego Lake?
- Kego Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 296.13 acres.
What fish are in Kego Lake?
- Fish species found in Kego Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Kego Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Kego Lake?
- Kego Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Kego Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Kego Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
86 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
MNPCA86 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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