Cedar Lake

Cedar Lake earns an A — every scored parameter (clarity and phosphorus) rates among the best monitored waters in Aitkin County. With clarity and phosphorus scored, the sub-grades cluster within a letter of each other, pointing to stable conditions rather than one specific stressor.

A TSI value of 40 puts Cedar Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. The lake's 105 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. Cedar Lake covers 1,726 acres alongside 27.6 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Cedar Lake ranks 7 of 53 in Aitkin County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Cedar Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Cedar Lake's fishery is anchored by muskellunge, with 22 documented species in total — a destination water for muskie anglers. A documented public access point at Cedar Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 12 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 18. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.