Kerbs Lake
Otter Tail County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Kerbs Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- zebra mussel
- Public access
Kerbs Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 27.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Kerbs Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Kerbs Lake ranks #39 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Kerbs Lake has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Kerbs Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Kerbs Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water27.7 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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 Kerbs 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 Kerbs Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Kerbs Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 27.7 ft down. Phosphorus 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.6 µg/L. TSI 32.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 27.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.6µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 32 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Kerbs Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Kerbs Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kerbs Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Little McDonald Lake (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Kerbs Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kerbs Lake in Otter Tail 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Kerbs Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fishing Kerbs 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: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.17 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.05 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Kerbs Lake
Where is Kerbs Lake?
- Kerbs Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Kerbs Lake?
- Kerbs Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 27.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Is Kerbs 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 Kerbs Lake?
- Kerbs Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Kerbs Lake?
- Kerbs Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little McDonald Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Kerbs Lake?
- Kerbs Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Kerbs Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
77 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
MNPCA77 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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory