Pine Lake

Pine Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Minnesota lake of its size and depth. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Pine Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. Pine Lake is a shallow lake at 14 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. At 450 acres, Pine Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.1 miles of shoreline. Among the 187 graded lakes in St. Louis County, Pine Lake sits at rank 59, above the county median.

No invasive species are currently listed at Pine Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Walleye are documented at Pine Lake, one of 8 fish species on record for the 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.