Mckenzie Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Mckenzie Lake pulls an A: clarity at 12.6 ft and 13 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Mckenzie Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. A maximum depth of 17 ft puts Mckenzie Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake is compact at 89 acres, with 2.5 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Mckenzie Lake sits at rank 21 of 40 in Clearwater County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Mckenzie Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Mckenzie Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. A documented public access point at Mckenzie 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.