Long Lake

Long Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Clearwater County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Trophically, Long Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. At 80 ft of maximum depth, Long Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. Long Lake covers 159 acres alongside 3.2 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Long Lake ranks 1 of 40 in Clearwater County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Long Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 15 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 recorded 6 times at Long Lake, with a median around May 4. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.