Wabedo Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Wabedo Lake pulls an A: clarity at 10.0 ft and 16 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Wabedo Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake's 95 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 1,226 acres, Wabedo Lake is one of the larger lakes in Cass County, with 11.3 miles of shoreline supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Wabedo Lake sits at rank 71 of 133 in Cass County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Wabedo Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Wabedo Lake's fishery is anchored by muskellunge, with 19 documented species in total — a destination water for muskie anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The lake has a partial ice record — 17 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 21. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.