Elbow Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Elbow Lake at a C: clarity at 7.0 ft, phosphorus readings still being added, and a TSI of 49 signal an intermediate trophic state. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. The lake's 60 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 1,695 acres, Elbow Lake is one of the larger lakes in St. Louis County, with 27.8 miles of shoreline supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Elbow Lake sits at rank 100 of 187 in St. Louis County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Elbow Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 12 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.