Nest Lake
Nest Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 969.17 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 969 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Kandiyohi County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Nest Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Nest Lake is a 969-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet (15-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Nest Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Nest Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nest 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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Water Temperature
Nest Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 44 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nest Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Average Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 969 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 54% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Nest Lake (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Nest 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
23 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-14 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.12 | 0.16 lb |
| BKF | 14.95 | — |
| Walleye | 13.35 | 1.52 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.77 | 1 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.80 | 0.1 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 7.78 | 0.09 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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.
Bluegill
Walleye
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-10-14 survey
A targeted fall night electrofishing survey was conducted for young of year "YOY" (fingerling sized) Walleye on Nest Lake during October 9, 2025. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e., spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which samples a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Nest Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NestFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — NestFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — NestPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.11 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.79 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.49 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nest Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nest Lake (completed 1964), built primarily for recreation on the Crow River Middle Fork; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 34 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,008 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,010 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 13,212 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 123 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of Kandiyohi Private Dam Owner
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00061 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Nest 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 MN34-0154-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 25 lakes in Kandiyohi County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Nest Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Nest Lake
What is the water quality grade for Nest Lake?
- Nest Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 969.17 acres.
Is Nest Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Nest Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Nest Lake?
- Nest Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 44 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Nest Lake?
- Nest Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 969.17 acres.
What fish are in Nest Lake?
- Fish species found in Nest Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Nest Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Nest Lake?
- Nest Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nest Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Nest Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Where this data comes from
85 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA85 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 (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