Island Lake

Island Lake sits at the top of the Minnesota PCA grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Minnesota. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Trophically, Island Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. A maximum depth of 32 ft puts Island Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake's 225 acres and 3.4 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Island Lake ranks 4 of 77 in Hubbard County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Island Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2023, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 13 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Island Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 8 times at Island Lake, with a median around Apr 15. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.