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D

Meadow Lake

Hennepin County, MinnesotaEutrophic

On the scoring rubric Meadow Lake grades a D: clarity at 3.9 ft and 79 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Hennepin County. The two scored sub-grades — clarity and phosphorus — track close together, so neither one is dragging the average down.

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's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Among the 95 graded lakes in Hennepin County, Meadow Lake sits at rank 47, above the county median.

No invasive species are currently listed at Meadow Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Meadow Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Meadow Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. Ice-out has been recorded 14 times at Meadow Lake, with a median around Mar 29. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

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Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 78.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)3.9 ftD
Phosphorus78.5 µg/LD
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)62Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.9 m/yr3
Phosphorus Improving-22.25 µg/L/yr3

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Mar 29
Typical Ice-In
Nov 17

Estimated open water season: 233 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2016-03-13 (2016)2013-04-26 (2013)
Ice-In2006-10-24 (2006)2015-12-24 (2015)

Most recent ice-out: 2021-03-24

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #47 of 95 lakes in Hennepin County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Meadow Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County

EPA Impairment Status

Meadow Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0057-00 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2024-10-03

Monitoring stations: 2