Staring Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric Staring Lake fails the cutoffs — a TSI of 66 and persistent algal pressure put it in the bottom tier. 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. Staring Lake reaches 16 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake's 167 acres and 2.0 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within the 95 graded lakes of Hennepin County, Staring Lake sits at rank 83, near the bottom of the county list.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Staring Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. Walleye are documented at Staring Lake, one of 15 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Staring Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.