Waptus Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Waptus Lake pulls an A: clarity at 14.1 ft and 15 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. The lake bottoms out at 45 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 52 acres, Waptus Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 40 graded lakes in Clearwater County, Waptus Lake sits at rank 19, above the county median.

No invasive species are currently listed at Waptus Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Waptus Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.