Rose Lake

Rose Lake sits at the top of the Minnesota PCA grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Minnesota.

Trophically, Rose Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. Rose Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 137 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. At 1,200 acres, Rose Lake is one of the larger lakes in Otter Tail County, with 9.7 miles of shoreline supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Rose Lake ranks 17 of 97 in Otter Tail County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Rose Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. Walleye are documented at Rose Lake, one of 17 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 partial ice record — 5 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 23. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.