Aerie Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Aerie Lake at a C: clarity at 9.0 ft, phosphorus readings still being added, and a TSI of 45 signal an intermediate trophic state. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. Aerie Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake's 146 acres and 3.4 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within St. Louis County's 187 graded lakes, Aerie Lake ranks 111 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Aerie Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Aerie Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Aerie Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. Ice-out has been recorded 11 times at Aerie Lake, with a median around Apr 23. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.