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LakeQuality
C

Pleasant Lake

Ramsey County, MinnesotaEutrophic

Pleasant Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

At a TSI of 56, Pleasant Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake's 58 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 607 acres, Pleasant Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 6.0 miles of shoreline. Pleasant Lake ranks 23 of 49 in Ramsey County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

Zebra mussel presence at Pleasant Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 10 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. No formal public access is documented at Pleasant Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Water Quality Grade: C, Fair

Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 50 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 56.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)5.6 ftD
Phosphorus50 µg/LC
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)56Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth58 ft
Surface Area607.23 acres
Shoreline Length6 mi
Littoral Zone45%
Public AccessNo

Fish Species

Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Pleasant Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Pleasant Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

Pleasant Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Invasive Species

Eurasian watermilfoilzebra mussel

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.081 m/yr5
Phosphorus Declining+6.25 µg/L/yr5

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #23 of 49 lakes in Ramsey County

Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-09-22 (Targeted Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Black Crappie13.450.41 lb
Yellow Perch10.420.21 lb
Bluegill5.780.34 lb
White Bass5.280.68 lb
Walleye5.111.36 lb
Common Carp1.953.6 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.

Length Distributions

Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.

Black Crappie

6 fish · 613 in · 2020-09-22
320trophy 10678910111213

Yellow Perch

23 fish · 56 in · 2020-09-22
179056

Bluegill

7 fish · 37 in · 2020-09-22
21034567

White Bass

204 fish · 1015 in · 2001-07-16
132660101112131415

From the 2020-09-22 survey

This lake is located within the City of North Oaks, a gated community. North Oaks was initially the summer retreat of railroad baron James J. Hill. Most of the land surrounding the lake was developed as upscale, single family housing by the North Oaks Association, which retains ownership of the land. The immediate…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pleasant Lake. 1 report on file.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Most recent sample: 2024-10-20

Monitoring stations: 2