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LakeQuality

Lime Lake

F
Grade F — Algae-prone
Algae-prone · #6 of 9 lakes in the county · 0.4 ft clear · Hypereutrophic · 326 acres
Limited DataHypereutrophic

Lime Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 206 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 78.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 326.04 acres.

Clarity
0.4 ft
Max depth
7 ft
Area
326 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 Lime Lake

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Lime Lake is a 326-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Murray County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 7 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Murray County, Lime Lake ranks #6 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Sioux Falls

Get alerts for Lime Lake

Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)

Very murky, less than 0.4 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 206 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 78.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 82.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)0.4 ftNot graded
Phosphorus206 µg/LPoor
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)78.2 µg/LPoor
Trophic State Index (TSI)82Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Where to stay near Lime Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lime Lake in Murray 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 Lime Lake are listed below.

Top-rated places to stay near Lime Lake

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth7 ft
Surface Area326 acres
Shoreline Length4.1 mi
Littoral Zone100%
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
61 sq mi
Elevation
1,516 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

2
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Lime Lake (South)Public
  • Lime Lake (East)Public

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Lime Lake

EPA Impairment Status

Lime Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Impaired biota (cause unknown)Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN51-0024-00 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #6 of 9 lakes in Murray County

Nearby Lakes in Murray County

Frequently asked questions about Lime Lake

What is the water quality grade for Lime Lake?

Lime Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 206 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 78.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 326.04 acres.

Is Lime 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. Lime Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 78.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Lime Lake?

Lime Lake has a maximum depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 326.04 acres.

What fish are in Lime Lake?

Fish species found in Lime Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, quillback, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lime Lake is located in Murray County, Minnesota.

Are there boat ramps on Lime Lake?

Lime Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lime Lake (South), Lime Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

9 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 WaterMNPCA9 samples · 2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
  • Phosphorus by 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)

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory