Sturgeon Lake

Sturgeon Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Pine County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. Sturgeon Lake covers 1,706 acres alongside 9.6 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Among the 19 graded lakes in Pine County, Sturgeon Lake ranks 2 — in the top quartile locally.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Sturgeon Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. Walleye are documented at Sturgeon Lake, one of 15 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Sturgeon Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 5 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 25. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.