Sunshine Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Sunshine Lake pulls an A: clarity at 20.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Minnesota.

Trophically, Sunshine Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. Sunshine Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 79 acres, Sunshine Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within St. Louis County's 187 graded waters, Sunshine Lake sits at rank 2, near the top of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Sunshine Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Sunshine 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 lake has a partial ice record — 7 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 24. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.