Swimming Lakes Near Mankato
Minnesota
1 lakes within driving distance of Mankato, Minnesota pass the low-algae screen — favourable clarity and nutrient readings, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for the clearest, lowest-nutrient readings in the sampling record, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Not a swimming clearance: always check local advisories on the day you swim.
Mankato is not lake-dense: only 1 measured lakes are within easy reach. The cleanest of those measured is Unnamed Lake.
The swimming-specific ranking layered on top of the readings is what produces the list below: a lake with clean readings that does not also support the swimming use case is less useful than a decent one that does.
| # | Lake | County | Bacteria | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unnamed Lake | Nicollet | Low algae | 12.2 mi | 5.6 ft | 35 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.