Reeds Lake

Reeds Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Minnesota average.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. The lake's 58 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. Reeds Lake covers 195 acres alongside 2.8 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Reeds Lake ranks 1 of 6 in Waseca County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Reeds Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 15 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. A documented public access point at Reeds Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been recorded 13 times at Reeds Lake, with a median around Apr 4. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.