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LakeQuality
B

Duck Lake

Crow Wing County, MinnesotaMesotrophic

Duck Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Minnesota lake of its size and depth. Secchi readings are the weakest of the three parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

A TSI near 43 places Duck Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. 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. Within Crow Wing County's 120 graded lakes, Duck Lake ranks 81 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Duck Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Duck Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. 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.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Water Quality Grade: B, Good

Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)9 ftC
Phosphorus13 µg/LA
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)43Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Water Quality Trend: Declining

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.099 m/yr5
Phosphorus Declining+0.4 µg/L/yr5

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #81 of 120 lakes in Crow Wing County

Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Duck Lake. 2 reports on file.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2024-09-07

Monitoring stations: 1