Dick Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Dick Lake grades a B, with clarity at 7.7 ft and 10 µg/L of phosphorus placing it above the Minnesota median. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Minnesota norms.

A TSI near 43 places Dick Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. Dick Lake is a shallow lake at 12 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. Dick Lake covers 127 acres alongside 3.5 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Dick Lake ranks 60 of 128 in Cook County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

Dick Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2022, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Walleye are documented at Dick Lake, one of 5 fish species on record for the lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.