Ripple Lake

Ripple Lake earns a D — measurements through 2024 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

At a TSI of 55, Ripple Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 39 ft puts Ripple Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. At 630 acres, Ripple Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 8.9 miles of shoreline. Ripple Lake ranks 49 of 53 in Aitkin County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Ripple Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 17 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The lake has a partial ice record — 10 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 25. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.