East Vermilion Lake

East Vermilion Lake earns a D — measurements through 2024 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. The lake's 76 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 39,272 acres, East Vermilion Lake is one of the larger lakes in St. Louis County, with 341.5 miles of shoreline supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Within the 187 graded lakes of St. Louis County, East Vermilion Lake sits at rank 156, near the bottom of the county list.

East Vermilion Lake has at least one documented invasive species (spiny waterflea), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. Muskie are on the species list at East Vermilion Lake, alongside the lake's 17 other documented fish. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The lake has a long ice-out record — 286 observations on file, with a median ice-out around Apr 30. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.