Rice Lake

On the scoring rubric Rice Lake grades a D: clarity at 2.6 ft and 49 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Stearns County. Secchi readings are the weakest of the three parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. A maximum depth of 41 ft puts Rice Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. Rice Lake covers 1,513 acres alongside 14.9 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Rice Lake sits at rank 39 of 55 in Stearns County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Zebra mussel presence at Rice Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. Walleye are documented at Rice Lake, one of 21 fish species on record for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The lake has a long ice-out record — 36 observations on file, with a median ice-out around Apr 6. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.