Cherry Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Cherry Lake pulls an A: clarity at 22.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI value of 33 puts Cherry Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Cherry Lake reaches 30 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake is compact at 19 acres, with 1.1 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Within Lake County's 142 graded waters, Cherry Lake sits at rank 16, near the top of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Cherry Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Cherry Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Cherry Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.