Wolf Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric Wolf Lake fails the cutoffs — a TSI of 67 and persistent algal pressure put it in the bottom tier. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. At only 12 ft deep, Wolf Lake is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. The lake's 456 acres and 10.1 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within the 187 graded lakes of St. Louis County, Wolf Lake sits at rank 181, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at Wolf Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 8 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. 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.