Chester Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Chester Lake pulls an A: clarity at 39.0 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.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. At 52 acres, Chester Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within Cook County's 128 graded waters, Chester Lake sits at rank 22, near the top of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Chester Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The lake's fish records list 3 species — a varied community without one dominant gamefish. A documented public access point at Chester Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.