Tarry Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Tarry Lake grades a B, with clarity at 13.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added placing it above the Minnesota median.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Tarry Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. Tarry Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 66 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. The lake's 244 acres and 9.1 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Among the 128 graded lakes in Cook County, Tarry Lake sits at rank 61, above the county median.

No invasive species are currently listed at Tarry Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. 3 fish species are documented at Tarry Lake, a mixed warm-water community typical for Minnesota lakes of this size. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.