West Boot Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, West Boot Lake pulls an A: clarity at 14.0 ft and 14 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 West Boot Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. West Boot Lake reaches 34 ft at its deepest point — typical for Minnesota mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake is compact at 50 acres, with 1.3 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Among the 83 graded lakes in Washington County, West Boot Lake ranks 12 — in the top quartile locally.

No invasive species are currently listed at West Boot Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 8 documented species across the lake's records. No formal public access is documented at West Boot Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. Multiple sampling years from Minnesota PCA volunteers and partner agencies back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.