Pickerel Lake

Pickerel Lake earns a D — measurements through 2023 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. A maximum depth of just 11 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. The lake's 114 acres and 2.5 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within Dakota County's 36 graded lakes, Pickerel Lake ranks 21 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

No invasive species are currently listed at Pickerel Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 15 documented species across the lake's records. No formal public access is documented at Pickerel 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.