Heikkilla Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Heikkilla Lake at a C: clarity at 5.0 ft, 28 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 53 signal an intermediate trophic state. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

At a TSI of 53, Heikkilla Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of just 7 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. Heikkilla Lake covers 130 acres alongside 2.3 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Heikkilla Lake sits at rank 113 of 187 in St. Louis County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Heikkilla Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. 6 fish species are documented at Heikkilla Lake, a mixed warm-water community typical for Minnesota lakes of this size. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The lake has a partial ice record — 6 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 21. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.