Sturgeon Lake 1

Sturgeon Lake 1 earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. High phosphorus is the leading drag on the score — likely from upland agriculture, lawn runoff, or in-lake sediment release.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Sturgeon Lake 1: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Within Goodhue County's 10 graded lakes, Sturgeon Lake 1 ranks 6 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Zebra mussel presence at Sturgeon Lake 1 means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Sturgeon Lake 1, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. A documented public access point at Sturgeon Lake 1 makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.