Schmidt Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Schmidt Lake at a C: clarity at 5.6 ft, 51 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 57 signal an intermediate trophic state. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. Schmidt Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 45 acres, Schmidt Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 95 graded lakes in Hennepin County, Schmidt Lake sits at rank 34, above the county median.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Schmidt Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Schmidt Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Schmidt Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The lake has a partial ice record — 6 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 10. 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.