Taft Lake

Taft Lake earns an F: phosphorus readings still being added and clarity at 3.3 ft signal heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

At a TSI of 60, Taft Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 45 ft puts Taft Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake is compact at 14 acres, with 0.7 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Taft Lake ranks 90 of 95 in Hennepin County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Taft Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2021, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Walleye are documented at Taft Lake, one of 15 fish species on record for the lake. No formal public access is documented at Taft Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.