Ramshead Lake

Ramshead Lake earns an F: phosphorus readings still being added and clarity readings still being added signal heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

There is not yet enough seasonal data to settle the lake's trophic classification — the TSI window remains too narrow to call. Ramshead Lake is a shallow lake at 10 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. The lake's 553 acres and 7.6 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Ramshead Lake ranks 215 of 215 in St. Louis County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Ramshead Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Ramshead Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.