Gould Lake

Gould Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Minnesota lake of its size and depth. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Minnesota norms.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Gould Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. 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 the 133 graded lakes of Cass County, Gould Lake sits at rank 119, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at Gould Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Gould Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Gould Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.