Long Lake
Kandiyohi County, Minnesota325 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Long Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 46 ft max depth
- Public access
Long Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 324.52 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 12, 2025 caught 0.60 northern pike per trap net at Long Lake. DNR survey details →
Long Lake is a 325-acre mesotrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Long Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Long Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water46 ft surveyed max depth
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. Long Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Long 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 Long Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Long 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 10.5 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.5 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.5µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Long Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Long Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Oct (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 119 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Long Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Long Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (135,519 cells/mL) on April 11, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 12, 2025 caught 0.60 northern pike per trap net at Long Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Long Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-12 (Targeted Survey).
17 surveys on file · most recent 2025-05-12 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 51.93 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 25.92 | 7–11 in 2025-05-12 | 0.67 lb |
| Bluegill | 23.08 | 3–10 in 2025-05-12 | 0.18 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.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2025-05-12 survey
A targeted survey was conducted on Long Lake during mid-May of 2025. Ten standard lake survey trapnets were set at historical stations to target Bluegill and Black Crappie. Special regulations for several Spicer Area lakes (Nest, Long, Diamond, George and Florida) including Long Lake entail reduced bag limits (i.e., 5…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Long Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LongFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LongFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LongPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
46 ft
Surface area
325 acres
Shoreline
6.9 mi
Littoral zone
39%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,207 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Hawick (East)Public
- Hawick (West)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 Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Long 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Long 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 →
Follow Long Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Long 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.66 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.28 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Mar 10, 2024 · Latest May 6, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 21, 2008 · Latest Jan 11, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Mar 27
2025
22 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Long Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN34-0066-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Long Lake
Where is Long Lake?
- Long Lake is a lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Long Lake?
- Long Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 324.52 acres.
Is Long Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Long Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Long Lake?
- Long Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in October, from 119 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Long Lake?
- Long Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet. The lake covers 324.52 acres.
What fish are in Long Lake?
- Fish species found in Long Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Long Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Long Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 12, 2025 caught 0.60 northern pike per trap net at Long Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Long Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Long Lake thaw?
- Long Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 226 days.
Does Long Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Long Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (135,519 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Long Lake?
- Long Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hawick (East), Hawick (West). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Long Lake?
- Long Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Long Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Kandiyohi County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Long Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
275 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA275 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 (4)
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
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate