Little Kandiyohi Lake
Little Kandiyohi Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 378 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 90.2 µg/L. Surface area: 1237 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Mean depth
- ~14 ft est.
- Area
- 1,237 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Kandiyohi County
Why Little Kandiyohi Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Little Kandiyohi Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Little Kandiyohi Lake is a 1,237-acre lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 14 feet. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including black bullhead, northern pike, and white sucker. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Little Kandiyohi Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 378 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 90.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 81.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 378 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 90.2 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 81 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Little Kandiyohi Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Kandiyohi Lake in Kandiyohi 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,237 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Little Kandiyohi Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Little Kandiyohi LakePublic
- Minnetaga LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Kandiyohi Lake
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Kandiyohi Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fish Stocking History — Little KandiyohiFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little KandiyohiPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Little Kandiyohi Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Little Kandiyohi Lake (completed 1941), built primarily for recreation on the Crow River South Fork; gravity-type dam, 10 ft tall and 17 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,237 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,831 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,414 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 29.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00063 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Little Kandiyohi 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 MN34-0096-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Little Kandiyohi Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- KandiyohiKandiyohi · 4.8 mi away · NPDES MN0023841
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Little Kandiyohi Lake
Little Kandiyohi Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Little Kandiyohi Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Kandiyohi Lake?
- Little Kandiyohi Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 378 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 90.2 µg/L. Surface area: 1237 acres.
Is Little Kandiyohi Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Kandiyohi Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 90.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Kandiyohi Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Little Kandiyohi Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 14 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 1237 acres.
What fish are in Little Kandiyohi Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Kandiyohi Lake include black bullhead, northern pike, white sucker. Little Kandiyohi Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Little Kandiyohi Lake?
- Little Kandiyohi Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Kandiyohi Lake, Minnetaga Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Kandiyohi Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA4 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory