Peltier Lake

Peltier Lake grades an F: every scored parameter (clarity and phosphorus) rates poorly, placing it among the most stressed lakes monitored in Minnesota. With clarity and phosphorus scored, the sub-grades cluster within a letter of each other, pointing to stable conditions rather than one specific stressor.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 78 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. The lake bottoms out at 18 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 552 acres, Peltier Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 8.2 miles of shoreline. Within the 24 graded lakes of Anoka County, Peltier Lake sits at rank 19, near the bottom of the county list.

Peltier Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. Walleye are documented at Peltier Lake, one of 16 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Peltier Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been logged at Peltier Lake more than two dozen times, putting the median around Apr 7 — a useful baseline for tracking climate trends. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.