Bass Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Bass Lake at a C: clarity at 4.8 ft, 32 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 54 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.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. Bass Lake reaches 31 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. Bass Lake covers 182 acres alongside 3.2 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Among the 95 graded lakes in Hennepin County, Bass Lake ranks 23 — in the top quartile locally.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Bass Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery is bass-led, with 8 documented species across the lake's records. No formal public access is documented at Bass Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The lake has a partial ice record — 15 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 2. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.