Preston Lake
Preston Lake in Renville County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 222 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 654.96 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in July
- 80°F
- Max depth
- 11 ft
- Area
- 655 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Preston Lake →
Next lake in Renville County
Preston Lake is a 655-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Renville County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 11 feet (7-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Renville County, Preston Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 222 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 39.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 222 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 39.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Preston Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Preston Lake in Renville 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Preston Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Preston Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Preston Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Jun (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Preston Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 11 ft |
| Average Depth | 7 ft |
| Surface Area | 655 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Preston LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Preston Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 82.53 | 0.26 lb |
| Common Carp | 21.31 | 4.9 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 19.29 | 0.79 lb |
| CRP | 15.74 | — |
| Fathead Minnow | 13.41 | — |
| Walleye | 12.86 | 1.36 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.
Black Bullhead
Common Carp
Brown Bullhead
Walleye
From the 2025-07-07 survey
Preston is a moderate-sized lake (655 acres) located northeast of the Town of Buffalo Lake in Renville County. A state-owned access with gravel parking and a single cement boat ramp is present along the west shore. There is a fishing pier present at the public access. Preston has approximately five miles of shoreline…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Preston Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PrestonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PrestonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PrestonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.057 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -10.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.11 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-06 (2017) | 2018-05-01 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-16 (2014) | 2013-12-01 (2013) |
Most recent ice-out: 2018-05-01
EPA Impairment Status
Preston 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 MN65-0002-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Renville County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Preston Lake holds Grade F. 2 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 Renville County
Frequently asked questions about Preston Lake
What is the water quality grade for Preston Lake?
- Preston Lake in Renville County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 222 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 654.96 acres.
Is Preston Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Preston Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 39.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Preston Lake?
- Preston Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in July, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Preston Lake?
- Preston Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet and an average depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 654.96 acres.
What fish are in Preston Lake?
- Fish species found in Preston Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Preston Lake is located in Renville County, Minnesota.
When does Preston Lake thaw?
- Preston Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16.
Are there boat ramps on Preston Lake?
- Preston Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Preston Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Preston 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 Renville County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Preston Lake
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Compare Preston Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
69 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
MNPCA69 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate