Jewett Lake

Jewett Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Otter Tail 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.

A TSI value of 39 puts Jewett Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. At 75 ft of maximum depth, Jewett Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 747 acres, Jewett Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.1 miles of shoreline. Jewett Lake ranks 22 of 97 in Otter Tail County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Jewett Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Walleye are documented at Jewett Lake, one of 13 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Jewett Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 6 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 12. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.