Mays Lake

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

A TSI near 44 places Mays Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. A maximum depth of 25 ft puts Mays Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake is compact at 40 acres, with 1.8 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Among the 83 graded lakes in Washington County, Mays Lake ranks 11 — in the top quartile locally.

No invasive species are currently listed at Mays Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Mays Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Mays Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.