Wheeler South Lake
Wheeler South Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.1 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Mean depth
- ~11 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Wheeler South Lake →
Next lake in Kandiyohi County
Wheeler South Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 11 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Wheeler South Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. 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)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 128 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 31.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 69.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 128 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wheeler South Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wheeler South 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Wheeler South Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Wheeler South Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Wheeler South Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 47 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wheeler South Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Wheeler South Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Wheeler South Lake
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wheeler South Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fish Stocking History — WheelerFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.065 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -15.67 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.89 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 25 lakes in Kandiyohi County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Wheeler South 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 Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Wheeler South Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wheeler South Lake?
- Wheeler South Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.1 µg/L.
Is Wheeler South 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. Wheeler South Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 31.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wheeler South Lake?
- Wheeler South Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 47 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wheeler South Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Wheeler South Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 11 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Wheeler South Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
87 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
MNPCA87 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder