Hatchet Lake

On the scoring rubric Hatchet Lake grades a D: clarity at 5.5 ft and phosphorus readings still being added keep it in the lower bracket for Lake County. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

At a TSI of 53, Hatchet Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake bottoms out at 40 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Hatchet Lake covers 127 acres alongside 3.5 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Hatchet Lake ranks 124 of 142 in Lake County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Hatchet Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2023, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Hatchet Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Hatchet 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.