Basswood Lake

Basswood Lake sits at a C on the grading scale — not impaired, not pristine, with summer measurements that vary year to year. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI near 45 places Basswood Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake's 111 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. With 25,953 acres of surface and 332.6 miles of shoreline, Basswood Lake is a large water by Minnesota standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Within Lake County's 142 graded lakes, Basswood Lake ranks 94 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Basswood Lake has at least one documented invasive species (spiny waterflea), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 14 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. Ice-out has been recorded 6 times at Basswood Lake, with a median around May 5. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.