Auburn Lake

Auburn Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. With clarity and phosphorus scored, the sub-grades cluster within a letter of each other, pointing to stable conditions rather than one specific stressor.

At a TSI of 51, Auburn Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. At 84 ft of maximum depth, Auburn Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 291 acres, Auburn Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.2 miles of shoreline. Within Carver County's 40 graded waters, Auburn Lake sits at rank 10, near the top of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Auburn Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 14 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.