Long Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Long Lake at a C: clarity at 7.5 ft, 34 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 51 signal an intermediate trophic state. 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 in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. The lake bottoms out at 28 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Long Lake covers 164 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. Long Lake ranks 4 of 23 in Meeker County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

No invasive species are currently listed at Long Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 12, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. A documented public access point at Long Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. 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.