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Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River

Mille Lacs County, MinnesotaOligotrophic

Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River earns an A — every scored parameter (phosphorus and chlorophyll-a) rates among the best monitored waters in Mille Lacs County. With phosphorus and chlorophyll-a scored, the sub-grades cluster within a letter of each other, pointing to stable conditions rather than one specific stressor.

Trophically, Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. A maximum depth of just 6 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. At 409 acres, Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 6.2 miles of shoreline. Within Mille Lacs County's 11 graded waters, Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River sits at rank 2, near the top of the local distribution.

Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River is on the Minnesota infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. 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 2024-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

Track Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River

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Swimming Safety

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent

No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 0.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 34.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No data
Phosphorus24 µg/LB
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)0.3 µg/LA
Trophic State Index (TSI)34Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth6 ft
Surface Area409.14 acres
Shoreline Length6.2 mi
Littoral Zone100%
Public AccessNo

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

zebra mussel

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Chlorophyll-a Improving-0.7 µg/L/yr2

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #2 of 11 lakes in Mille Lacs County

Nearby Lakes in Mille Lacs County

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-06-15 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Yellow Bass27.400.3 lb
Pumpkinseed13.810.2 lb
Black Bullhead13.030.34 lb
Brown Bullhead8.860.62 lb
Yellow Perch6.310.2 lb
Common Carp5.898.63 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.

From the 1989-06-15 survey

NORTHERN PIKE ARE SMALL AND ABUNDANT, CARP NUMBERS ARE JUST OVER THE MEDIAN FOR TRAPNETS. ALL THREE SPECIES OF BULLHEADS ARE PRESENT WITH THE YELLOW BULLHEAD AT FIFTY-ONE TIMES THE STATE MEDIAN FOR GILLNETS, PUMPKINSEED ARE OVER ABUNDANT AND MOSTLY SMALL. MANY YOUNG OF THE YEAR PUMPKINSEED WERE CAUGHT IN THE NATURAL…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River. 2 reports on file.

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Outlet of Ogechie Lake on the Rum River is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Ogechie Lake (completed 1952) on the Rum River; gravity-type dam, 10 ft tall and 80 ft long.

Surface area
410 ac
Normal storage
1,275 ac-ft
Max storage
2,550 ac-ft
Drainage area
419 sq mi
Hazard class
Low
Owner
MNDNR-Parks

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00250 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.02 km)

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Most recent sample: 2024-10-08

Monitoring stations: 1