Upper Sakatah Lake

Upper Sakatah Lake grades an F: water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate poorly, placing it among the most stressed lakes monitored in Minnesota. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 76 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. A maximum depth of just 12 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. The lake's 892 acres and 8.0 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Upper Sakatah Lake ranks 13 of 14 in Le Sueur County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Upper Sakatah Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. Walleye are documented at Upper Sakatah Lake, one of 14 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Upper Sakatah Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Ice-out has been logged at Upper Sakatah Lake more than two dozen times, putting the median around Mar 28 — a useful baseline for tracking climate trends. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.