Mesotrophic Lakes Across 12 States
Moderate nutrients, good water quality. 2,081 lakes (38% of all graded lakes).
Most well-managed working lakes register as mesotrophic — the band that balances productivity with clarity. 2,081 lakes in the 12 states LakeQuality covers sit in the mesotrophic band. About 17% are deep (50+ ft); the rest are shallower basins where watershed management keeps nutrients from pushing the system into eutrophy.
Mesotrophic lakes tend to grade B or C on the LakeGrade rubric — the productive-but-clear band lines up with the middle of the letter grades.
| Lake | County | State | Grade | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Long Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | 15.1 ft | 97 ft |
| Clear Lake | Aitkin | MN | A | 15 ft | 24 ft |
| Upper Maple Lake | Wright | MN | A | 17.2 ft | 76 ft |
| Birch Lake | Wright | MN | A | 15 ft | 52 ft |
| Little Toad Lake | Becker | MN | A | 15 ft | 65 ft |
| Pelican Lake | Otter Tail | MN | A | 16.4 ft | 55 ft |
| Alexander Lake | Morrison | MN | A | 16.5 ft | 64 ft |
| Gull Lake | Cass | MN | A | 15 ft | 80 ft |
| Union Lake | Polk | MN | A | 15 ft | - |
| Andrusia Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | 15.1 ft | 60 ft |
| Island Lake | Becker | MN | A | 15 ft | 38 ft |
| Island Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | - | 36 ft |
| Mukooda Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | 16.6 ft | 78 ft |
| George Lake | Kandiyohi | MN | A | 15 ft | 34 ft |
| Brickyard Lake | Carver | MN | A | 15 ft | 43 ft |
| Little Bass Lake | Clearwater | MN | A | - | 35 ft |
| Miltona Lake | Douglas | MN | A | 18.7 ft | 105 ft |
| Pine Lake | Morrison | MN | A | 15.1 ft | 59 ft |
| Pine Lake | Cass | MN | A | 16 ft | 25 ft |
| Ember Lake | Wright | MN | A | 15.1 ft | 45 ft |
| Midge Lake | Hubbard | MN | A | 18 ft | 24 ft |
| Rose Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | - | 31 ft |
| Lougee Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | 16.1 ft | 53 ft |
| Clamshell Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | 15.1 ft | 44 ft |
| Bad Axe Lake | Hubbard | MN | A | 15.1 ft | 39 ft |
| Lottie Lake | Douglas | MN | A | 16.1 ft | 31 ft |
| Edward Lake | Crow Wing | MN | A | 15.5 ft | 75 ft |
| Grass Lake | Ramsey | MN | A | - | - |
| East Boot Lake | Washington | MN | A | 15 ft | 27 ft |
| Cass Lake Allens Bay | Beltrami | MN | A | 16.6 ft | 120 ft |
| Barnesville Lake | Clay | MN | A | - | 17 ft |
| Laxon Lake | Beltrami | MN | A | - | - |
| Little Sandy Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | - | - |
| Cabin Lake | Lake | MN | A | - | 3 ft |
| Cramer Lake | Lake | MN | A | - | 4 ft |
| First Silver Lake | Otter Tail | MN | A | - | 43 ft |
| Explosion Lake | Oconto | WI | A | 17 ft | - |
| Two Island Lake | Chippewa | WI | A | 15.3 ft | 38 ft |
| Pike Lake | Polk | WI | A | - | 33 ft |
| Green Lake | Oconto | WI | A | 18.3 ft | 25 ft |
| Deer Lake | Polk | WI | A | 16 ft | 46 ft |
| Big Lake | Vilas | WI | A | - | 30 ft |
| Shell Lake | Washburn | WI | A | 16 ft | 36 ft |
| Ward Lake | Burnett | WI | A | - | 21 ft |
| Viola Lake | Burnett | WI | A | 17 ft | 34 ft |
| Perch Lake | Oneida | WI | A | 15 ft | 56 ft |
| Blueberry Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | 14.9 ft | 29 ft |
| Blueberry Lake | Vilas | WI | A | - | - |
| Paddock Lake | Kenosha | WI | A | 15 ft | 32 ft |
| Spring Lake | Waukesha | WI | A | - | 22 ft |
| Spring Lake | Washburn | WI | A | - | 24 ft |
| Ballard Lake | Vilas | WI | A | 15 ft | 25 ft |
| Shay Lake | Oconto | WI | A | 15 ft | 36 ft |
| Lost Lake | Marinette | WI | A | - | 18 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | Ozaukee | WI | A | - | - |
| Mercer Lake | Oneida | WI | A | - | 23 ft |
| Mission Lake | Shawano | WI | A | 17.5 ft | 44 ft |
| Pope Lake | Waupaca | WI | A | 16 ft | 40 ft |
| Gates Lake | Ashland | WI | A | - | 17 ft |
| Smith Lake | Marinette | WI | A | - | 11 ft |
| Townsend Flowage Lake | Oconto | WI | A | - | - |
| Cloud Lake | Forest | WI | A | - | 25 ft |
| Tea Lake | Ashland | WI | A | - | 48 ft |
| Trout Bog Lake | Vilas | WI | A | - | 24 ft |
| Crystal Bog Lake | Vilas | WI | A | - | 8 ft |
| Billy Boy Flowage Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | - | 46 ft |
| Little Trout Lake | Vilas | WI | A | - | 98 ft |
| Lake Helen | Portage | WI | A | - | 20 ft |
| Mosslake_deep | Vilas | WI | A | - | 29 ft |
| Little Mccall Lake | Marinette | WI | A | - | 21 ft |
| Park Creek Pond | Douglas | WI | A | - | 7 ft |
| Round Lake Northeast Site | Chippewa | WI | A | - | 18 ft |
| Sanborn Lake | Vilas | WI | A | - | 13 ft |
| Moss Lake East | Vilas | WI | A | - | 29 ft |
| Amy Bell Lake | Washington | WI | A | - | 37 ft |
| Trego Lake | Washburn | WI | A | - | 36 ft |
| Little Archibald Lake | Oconto | WI | A | - | 65 ft |
| Tambling Lake | Vilas | WI | A | - | 11 ft |
| Moldenhauer Lake | Ozaukee | WI | A | - | 32 ft |
| Brekke Lake | Waupaca | WI | A | - | 25 ft |
| Greater Bass Lake | Langlade | WI | A | - | 25 ft |
| Indian Lake Northeast Basin; Blue Lake Township | Kalkaska | MI | A | 15.5 ft | - |
| Manistee North Lake | Manistee | MI | A | - | - |
| Tippy Pond Manistee Arm | Manistee | MI | A | - | - |
| Saint Mary'S River Offshore Lake | Chippewa | MI | A | - | - |
| Manistee Lake South | Manistee | MI | A | - | - |
| Cordley Lake Central Basin; Hamburg Township | Livingston | MI | A | - | - |
| Blue Pit Lake | Cerro Gordo | IA | A | 17.1 ft | - |
| Queneska Island Lake | Essex | NY | A | 17.4 ft | - |
| Little Clear Pond | Franklin | NY | A | - | - |
| Little Echo Pond | Franklin | NY | A | - | - |
| Sochia Pond | Franklin | NY | A | - | - |
| Grass Pond | Franklin | NY | A | - | - |
| Carry Pond | Hamilton | NY | A | - | - |
| Barnes Lake | Lewis | NY | A | - | - |
| Little Hope Pond | Franklin | NY | A | - | - |
| Middle Lagoon Lake | Lake | IN | A | - | - |
| Free Peoples Lake | Benson | ND | A | - | 54 ft |
| Fort Totten Bay Lake | Benson | ND | A | - | - |
| Arnegard Dam Lake | McKenzie | ND | A | - | 12.2 ft |
Showing 100 of 2,081 mesotrophic lakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an mesotrophic lake?
Moderate nutrients, good water quality. There are 2,081 mesotrophic lakes across the 12 states LakeQuality covers, representing 38% of all graded lakes.
Can you swim in mesotrophic lakes?
Mesotrophic lakes are generally good for swimming with moderate clarity and low algae risk.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.