Kidney Lake
Cass County, Minnesota56 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Kidney Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 55 ft max depth
- Limited data
Kidney Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 56.38 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 1981 caught 0.67 northern pike per gill net at Kidney Lake. DNR survey details →
Kidney Lake is a 56-acre lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 55 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-10-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Kidney Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.5 ft of visibility
- Deep water55 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Kidney 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 Kidney Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Kidney Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Kidney Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 1981 caught 0.67 northern pike per gill net at Kidney Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kidney Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1981-08-11 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1981-08-11 (Standard Survey)
45 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 6.25 | 0.14 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 2.67 | 0.12 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.75 | 0.32 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 0.67 | 4.62 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 0.50 | 0.75 lb | |
| White Sucker | 0.33 | 2 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
From the 1981-08-11 survey
Additional Field Notes: Two adult loons sightedPresent Fish Population Status: Test netting indicates a poor population of all species of fish. Local reports indicate fair largemouth bass and black crappie fishing.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kidney Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KidneyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
55 ft
Surface area
56 acres
Shoreline
1.6 mi
Littoral zone
41%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,306 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Kidney Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kidney Lake in Cass 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 Kidney Lake
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Fishing Kidney Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.44 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.12 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Kidney Lake
Where is Kidney Lake?
- Kidney Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Kidney Lake?
- Kidney Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 56.38 acres.
Is Kidney Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Kidney Lake?
- Kidney Lake has a maximum depth of 55 feet. The lake covers 56.38 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Kidney Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 1981 caught 0.67 northern pike per gill net at Kidney Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kidney Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Kidney Lake?
- Public access to Kidney Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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.
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder