Lower Twin Lake

Lower Twin Lake sits at a C on the grading scale — not impaired, not pristine, with summer measurements that vary year to year. The two scored sub-grades — clarity and phosphorus — track close together, so neither one is dragging the average down.

At a TSI of 52, Lower Twin Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake bottoms out at 26 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. The lake's 252 acres and 2.6 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Among the 4 graded lakes in Wadena County, Lower Twin Lake sits at rank 2, above the county median.

Zebra mussel presence at Lower Twin Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. Walleye are documented at Lower Twin Lake, one of 21 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Lower Twin Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.