Lakes with Improving Water Quality
1,768 lakes across our 12-state dataset show improving water quality trends. These lakes have gotten cleaner based on multi-year monitoring of clarity, phosphorus, and algae.
| Rank | Lake | County | State | Grade | Trend | Years Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Sugar Bush Lake | Becker | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 2 | Round Lake | Cook | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 3 | Round Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 4 | Horseshoe Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 5 | Long Lake | Becker | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 6 | West Twin Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 7 | Star Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 8 | Star Lake | Otter Tail | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 9 | Fish Lake | Otter Tail | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 10 | Birch Lake | Wright | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 11 | Girl Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 12 | Big Pine Lake | Aitkin | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 13 | Alexander Lake | Morrison | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 14 | Deep Portage Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 15 | Lower Hay Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 16 | Maple Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 4 |
| 17 | Trout Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 18 | Trout Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 5 |
| 19 | Bear Lake | Lake | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 2 |
| 20 | Andrusia Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 21 | Green Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 22 | Island Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 23 | Island Lake | Becker | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 24 | Island Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 25 | Island Lake | Hubbard | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 26 | Moose Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 27 | Rice Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 5 |
| 28 | Pokegama Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 5 |
| 29 | Sandy Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 30 | Ox Yoke Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 31 | Kimball Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 32 | Little Bass Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 33 | Hand Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 34 | Heart Lake | Clearwater | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 5 |
| 35 | Hatch Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 36 | Stuart Lake | Otter Tail | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 37 | North Star Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 38 | Pleasant Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 39 | Little Hubert Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 40 | Big Watab Lake | Stearns | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 41 | Little Trout Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 42 | Dunning Lake | Itasca | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 4 |
| 43 | Kreighle Lake | Stearns | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 44 | Placid Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 45 | Schultz Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 5 |
| 46 | Thunder Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 47 | Little Portage Lake | Cass | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 48 | Midge Lake | Hubbard | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 49 | Rose Lake | Otter Tail | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
| 50 | Lougee Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | ↑ Improving | 6 |
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