Rachel Lake

Rachel Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI near 47 places Rachel Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. At 65 ft of maximum depth, Rachel Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. Rachel Lake covers 448 acres alongside 6.3 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Rachel Lake sits at rank 35 of 51 in Douglas County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Rachel Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 14 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Rachel Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 7 times at Rachel Lake, with a median around Apr 11. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.