Red Rock Lake

Red Rock Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Minnesota average. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Minnesota norms.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. A maximum depth of 16 ft puts Red Rock Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. At 97 acres, Red Rock Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Red Rock Lake ranks 36 of 95 in Hennepin County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Red Rock Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 9, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.