Sweeney Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Sweeney Lake grades a B, with clarity at 6.9 ft and 23 µg/L of phosphorus placing it above the Minnesota median. With clarity and phosphorus scored, the sub-grades cluster within a letter of each other, pointing to stable conditions rather than one specific stressor.

A TSI near 49 places Sweeney Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. Sweeney Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 68 acres, Sweeney Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 95 graded lakes in Hennepin County, Sweeney Lake ranks 9 — in the top quartile locally.

No invasive species are currently listed at Sweeney Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 12, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. 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.