Harriet Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Harriet Lake at a C: clarity at 10.5 ft, 186 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 61 signal an intermediate trophic state. Phosphorus is the parameter holding the grade back — runoff from the surrounding watershed appears to keep nutrient levels elevated through the summer.

At a TSI of 61, Harriet Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. At 87 ft of maximum depth, Harriet Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 341 acres, Harriet Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 2.7 miles of shoreline. Among the 95 graded lakes in Hennepin County, Harriet Lake sits at rank 28, above the county median.

Harriet Lake is on the Minnesota infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. Muskie are on the species list at Harriet Lake, alongside the lake's 15 other documented fish. A documented public access point at Harriet Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a long ice-out record — 108 observations on file, with a median ice-out around Apr 7. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.