Porter Lake
Blue Earth County, MinnesotaHypereutrophic
Porter Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Minnesota average. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.
Hypereutrophic conditions mean the lake is operating at the upper end of the productivity scale, with all the bloom risk that implies. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Among the 9 graded lakes in Blue Earth County, Porter Lake sits at rank 3, above the county median.
No invasive species are currently listed at Porter Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Porter Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 83 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 83 µg/L | D |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 9 lakes in Blue Earth County
Nearby Lakes in Blue Earth County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Porter Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2023-08-02
Monitoring stations: 1