Ml-Ce Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Ml-Ce Lake grades a B, with clarity at 25.6 ft and 25 µg/L of phosphorus placing it above the Minnesota median. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. Ml-Ce Lake reaches 42 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. With 128,250 acres of surface and 105.5 miles of shoreline, Ml-Ce Lake is a large water by Minnesota standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Ml-Ce Lake ranks 11 of 53 in Aitkin County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Ml-Ce Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Muskie are on the species list at Ml-Ce Lake, alongside the lake's 21 other documented fish. A documented public access point at Ml-Ce Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been logged at Ml-Ce Lake more than two dozen times, putting the median around Apr 25 — a useful baseline for tracking climate trends. The grade is supported by multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies, giving the letter a reasonably stable foundation.