Owl Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Owl Lake grades a B, with clarity at 13.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added placing it above the Minnesota median. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. The lake's 70 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 77 acres, Owl Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Owl Lake ranks 47 of 128 in Cook County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Owl Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Owl Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Owl Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.