Esquagama Lake

Esquagama Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Minnesota average.

At a TSI of 59, Esquagama Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. Esquagama Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 90 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. Esquagama Lake covers 453 acres alongside 5.5 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within the 187 graded lakes of St. Louis County, Esquagama Lake sits at rank 174, near the bottom of the county list.

Esquagama Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 12 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The lake has a partial ice record — 12 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 29. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.