Little Lake

On the scoring rubric Little Lake grades a D: clarity at 3.0 ft and 68 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Chisago 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 62, Little Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 23 ft puts Little Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake's 168 acres and 3.0 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 31 graded lakes of Chisago County, Little Lake sits at rank 25, near the bottom of the county list.

Little Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. Walleye are documented at Little Lake, one of 13 fish species on record for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been recorded 8 times at Little Lake, with a median around Mar 27. The grade is supported by multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies, giving the letter a reasonably stable foundation.