Stakke Lake

Stakke Lake sits at a C on the grading scale — not impaired, not pristine, with summer measurements that vary year to year. 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 in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. The lake bottoms out at 15 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 497 acres, Stakke Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 7.9 miles of shoreline. Stakke Lake ranks 80 of 93 in Becker County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Stakke Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2020, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Stakke Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. 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.