South Hegman Lake

South Hegman Lake sits at a C on the grading scale — not impaired, not pristine, with summer measurements that vary year to year. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at South Hegman Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. South Hegman Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 55 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. At 118 acres, South Hegman Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.0 miles of shoreline. South Hegman Lake sits at rank 142 of 215 in St. Louis County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

South Hegman Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for South Hegman Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at South Hegman Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.