Clear Lake

Clear Lake grades an F: water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate poorly, placing it among the most stressed lakes monitored in Minnesota. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 85 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Among the 6 graded lakes in Stevens County, Clear Lake sits at rank 3, above the county median.

No invasive species are currently listed at Clear Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Clear Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Clear Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.