Clear Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Clear Lake pulls an A: clarity at 16.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

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. A maximum depth of 24 ft puts Clear Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake's 574 acres and 5.3 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Among the 53 graded lakes in Aitkin County, Clear Lake ranks 2 — in the top quartile locally.

Clear Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 14 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Clear Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 23 times at Clear Lake, with a median around Apr 17. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.