Smith Lake

Smith Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI near 41 places Smith Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. Smith Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 54 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. At 491 acres, Smith Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 6.8 miles of shoreline. Within Crow Wing County's 120 graded lakes, Smith Lake ranks 80 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Smith Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. 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. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.