Sarah Lake
Sarah Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 1209.24 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 1,209 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 30
Next lake in Murray County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Sarah Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 8 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Sarah Lake is a 1,209-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Murray County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Murray County, Sarah Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Sarah Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 59 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Sarah Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sarah Lake in Murray 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
Sarah Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Aug (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sarah Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,209 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake SarahPublic
- Shetek Lake InletPublic
- Sarah Lake (West)Public
- Sarah Lake (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sarah 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
22 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 135.32 | 2.04 lb |
| BRM | 95.33 | — |
| Fathead Minnow | 89.30 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 64.24 | 0.5 lb |
| OSS | 33.60 | 0.04 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 26.24 | 0.23 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.
Walleye
Black Bullhead
OSS
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-10-08 survey
Lake Sarah is a 1,093-acre, class 41 lake, located approximately 4 miles south of the City of Garvin in Murray County. Lake Sarah has a maximum depth of 11.0 feet and a watershed-to-lake ratio of 10-to-1. Lake Sarah is managed primarily for Walleye and secondarily for Yellow Perch. Lake Sarah's Walleye population is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sarah Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SarahFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SarahFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SarahPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (29 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-01 (2016) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-09
EPA Impairment Status
Sarah Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN51-0063-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Sarah Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Garvin WwtpGarvin · 4.4 mi away · NPDES MN0029602Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 9 lakes in Murray County
Nearby Lakes in Murray County
Frequently asked questions about Sarah Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sarah Lake?
- Sarah Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 1209.24 acres.
Is Sarah Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Sarah Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sarah Lake?
- Sarah Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sarah Lake?
- Sarah Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 1209.24 acres.
What fish are in Sarah Lake?
- Fish species found in Sarah Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sarah Lake is located in Murray County, Minnesota.
When does Sarah Lake thaw?
- Sarah Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 30.
Are there boat ramps on Sarah Lake?
- Sarah Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Sarah, Shetek Lake Inlet, Sarah Lake (West), Sarah Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sarah Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Murray County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Sarah Lake
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Compare Sarah Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
16 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
MNPCA16 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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