Little Rice Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Little Rice Lake grades a B, with clarity at 7.5 ft and phosphorus readings still being added placing it above the Minnesota median. 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 near 49 places Little Rice Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. Little Rice Lake reaches 26 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 123 acres, Little Rice Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 1.9 miles of shoreline. Little Rice Lake ranks 76 of 95 in Beltrami County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Little Rice Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Walleye are documented at Little Rice Lake, one of 7 fish species on record for the lake. No formal public access is documented at Little Rice Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.