Pickeral Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric Pickeral Lake fails the cutoffs — a TSI of 77 and persistent algal pressure put it in the bottom tier. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 77 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. 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 588 acres, Pickeral Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 5.7 miles of shoreline. Within the 4 graded lakes of Freeborn County, Pickeral Lake sits at rank 4, near the bottom of the county list.

Pickeral Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Pickeral Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.