Horseshoe Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric Horseshoe Lake fails the cutoffs — a TSI of 67 and persistent algal pressure put it in the bottom tier. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. A maximum depth of 26 ft puts Horseshoe Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake's 417 acres and 5.2 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Horseshoe Lake sits at rank 7 of 12 in Rice County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Horseshoe Lake has at least one documented invasive species (flowering rush), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 13 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The lake has a partial ice record — 13 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 6. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.