Little Chippewa Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Little Chippewa Lake at a C: clarity at 9.0 ft, phosphorus readings still being added, and a TSI of 45 signal an intermediate trophic state.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. A maximum depth of 24 ft puts Little Chippewa Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake's 271 acres and 2.8 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within the 51 graded lakes of Douglas County, Little Chippewa Lake sits at rank 39, near the bottom of the county list.

Little Chippewa Lake is on the Minnesota infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 16 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Little Chippewa Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 5 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 9. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.