Upper Red Lake: East

On the scoring rubric Upper Red Lake: East grades a D: clarity at 2.0 ft and 37 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Beltrami County. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

At a TSI of 62, Upper Red Lake: East reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 15 ft puts Upper Red Lake: East in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. Upper Red Lake: East covers 119,294 acres alongside 59.2 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Within the 92 graded lakes of Beltrami County, Upper Red Lake: East sits at rank 87, near the bottom of the county list.

Upper Red Lake: East is on the watch list for starry stonewort, an invasive macroalga that is difficult to control once established. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 15 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. No formal public access is documented at Upper Red Lake: East — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The lake has a partial ice record — 16 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 29. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.