Ml-Vineland Lake

Ml-Vineland Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Mille Lacs County. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI near 42 places Ml-Vineland Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. A maximum depth of 42 ft puts Ml-Vineland Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. With 128,250 acres of surface and 105.5 miles of shoreline, Ml-Vineland Lake is a large water by Minnesota standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Among the 11 graded lakes in Mille Lacs County, Ml-Vineland Lake sits at rank 4, above the county median.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Ml-Vineland Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Ml-Vineland Lake's fishery is anchored by muskellunge, with 21 documented species in total — a destination water for muskie anglers. A documented public access point at Ml-Vineland Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been logged at Ml-Vineland Lake more than two dozen times, putting the median around Apr 25 — a useful baseline for tracking climate trends. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.