Millstone Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric Millstone Lake fails the cutoffs — a TSI of 80 and persistent algal pressure put it in the bottom tier. clarity and phosphorus rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 80 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. Millstone Lake is a shallow lake at 9 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. At 200 acres, Millstone Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 2.6 miles of shoreline. Millstone Lake ranks 59 of 64 in Wright County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Millstone Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2022, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. 4 fish species are on record, with panfish making up the recreational core. A documented public access point at Millstone 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.