Little Sturgeon Lake

Little Sturgeon Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. Secchi readings are the weakest of the three parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

At a TSI of 51, Little Sturgeon Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 22 ft puts Little Sturgeon Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. Little Sturgeon Lake covers 272 acres alongside 3.6 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within St. Louis County's 187 graded lakes, Little Sturgeon Lake ranks 110 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

No invasive species are currently listed at Little Sturgeon Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 12 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been logged at Little Sturgeon Lake more than two dozen times, putting the median around Apr 20 — 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.