Little Thunder Lake
Beltrami County, MinnesotaOligotrophic
Little Thunder Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Beltrami County. 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.
The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Little Thunder Lake ranks 27 of 86 in Beltrami County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.
No invasive species are currently listed at Little Thunder Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Little Thunder Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 49.2 ft down. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 30.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 49.2 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 30 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.357 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #27 of 86 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Little Thunder Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2025-09-10
Monitoring stations: 1