Little Tuttle Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric Little Tuttle Lake fails the cutoffs — a TSI of 77 and persistent algal pressure put it in the bottom tier. 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 hypereutrophic status — TSI 77 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. At only 7 ft deep, Little Tuttle Lake is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. The lake's 639 acres and 4.6 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Little Tuttle Lake ranks 7 of 7 in Martin County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Little Tuttle Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 20 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Little Tuttle Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 7 observed ice-outs, centered near Mar 20. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.