Potato Lake

Potato Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Hubbard County. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI near 40 places Potato Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. At 87 ft of maximum depth, Potato Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. With 2,096 acres of surface and 14.8 miles of shoreline, Potato Lake is a large water by Minnesota standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Potato Lake sits at rank 39 of 77 in Hubbard County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Potato Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 15 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Potato Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a long ice-out record — 30 observations on file, with a median ice-out around Apr 21. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.