Mud Lake

Mud Lake earns a D — measurements through 2024 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. A maximum depth of just 14 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. With 2,290 acres of surface and 37.8 miles of shoreline, Mud Lake is a large water by Minnesota standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Mud Lake ranks 16 of 35 in Kandiyohi County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

Mud Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 13 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Mud Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.