Poplar Lake

Poplar Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Poplar Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake bottoms out at 23 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 90 acres, Poplar Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Poplar Lake ranks 4 of 20 in Polk County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

No invasive species are currently listed at Poplar Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 12 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. No formal public access is documented at Poplar 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.