Smetana Lake

Smetana Lake sits at a C on the grading scale — not impaired, not pristine, with summer measurements that vary year to year. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Minnesota norms.

At a TSI of 51, Smetana Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of just 12 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. The lake is compact at 52 acres, with 1.6 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Within Hennepin County's 104 graded waters, Smetana Lake sits at rank 21, near the top of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Smetana Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery is bass-led, with 13 documented species across the lake's records. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.