Kabetogama Lake

On the scoring rubric Kabetogama Lake grades a D: clarity at 5.9 ft and phosphorus readings still being added keep it in the lower bracket for St. Louis County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

At a TSI of 52, Kabetogama Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. Kabetogama Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 80 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. Kabetogama Lake covers 24,034 acres alongside 190.5 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Kabetogama Lake ranks 168 of 215 in St. Louis County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Kabetogama Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 16 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Kabetogama Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been logged at Kabetogama Lake more than two dozen times, putting the median around Apr 29 — a useful baseline for tracking climate trends. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.