Island Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Island Lake at a C: clarity at 7.0 ft, phosphorus readings still being added, and a TSI of 49 signal an intermediate trophic state. 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.

A TSI near 49 places Island Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. Island Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. Island Lake covers 244 acres alongside 4.8 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Island Lake sits at rank 28 of 54 in Aitkin County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Island Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 11 documented species across the lake's records. No formal public access is documented at Island Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. 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.