Round Lake

On the scoring rubric Round Lake grades a D: clarity at 5.6 ft and 69 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Itasca County. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

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 24 ft puts Round Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. With 2,860 acres of surface and 10.7 miles of shoreline, Round Lake is a large water by Minnesota standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Round Lake ranks 128 of 141 in Itasca County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Round Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Walleye are documented at Round Lake, one of 17 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Round Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.