Wassermann West Lake
Carver County, MinnesotaEutrophic
Wassermann West Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Minnesota average. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.
Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Wassermann West Lake sits at rank 21 of 40 in Carver County, in the lower half of the local distribution.
Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Wassermann West Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Wassermann West 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. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 63 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.2 ft | D |
| Phosphorus | 63 µg/L | D |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Invasive Species
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -4.8 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #21 of 40 lakes in Carver County
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Wassermann West Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wassermann West Lake. 1 report on file.
- —Public Water Access Sites — Wassermann WestPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2021-09-29
Monitoring stations: 1