Halfbreed Lake

On the scoring rubric Halfbreed Lake grades a D: clarity at 4.4 ft and phosphorus readings still being added keep it in the lower bracket for Washington County.

At a TSI of 56, Halfbreed Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. Halfbreed Lake reaches 34 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 92 acres, Halfbreed Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within the 31 graded lakes of Washington County, Halfbreed Lake sits at rank 28, near the bottom of the county list.

Halfbreed Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2020, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 10, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. Ice-out has been recorded 6 times at Halfbreed Lake, with a median around Apr 18. 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.