Kerbs Lake
Kerbs Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 27.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 27.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Kerbs Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 27.7 ft down. Phosphorus level: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 32.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 27.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Kerbs Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little McDonald Lake (North)Public
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 data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.094 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.05 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Kerbs Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0328-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.67 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #39 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Kerbs Lake
What is the water quality grade for Kerbs Lake?
- Kerbs Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 27.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Is Kerbs Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Kerbs Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Kerbs Lake?
- Kerbs Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Kerbs Lake?
- The available depth estimate for Kerbs Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
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.
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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)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory