Mitchell Lake

Mitchell Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Minnesota average. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

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 bottoms out at 19 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 114 acres, Mitchell Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.1 miles of shoreline. Among the 95 graded lakes in Hennepin County, Mitchell Lake sits at rank 39, above the county median.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Mitchell Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. Walleye are documented at Mitchell Lake, one of 12 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Mitchell Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 9 times at Mitchell Lake, with a median around Apr 2. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.