Lake Assessment Program - Winsted Lake, McLeod County

Winsted Lake was sampled during the summer of 1996 by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff. Water quality data collected during the study revealed a summer-mean total phosphorus concentration of 417 ?g/l, chlorophyll-a concentration of 140 ?g/l, and a Secchi transparency of 1.6 feet. Total phosphorus and chlorophyll-a values are well outside the typical range exhibited by reference lakes in the WCBP ecoregion, and the average Secchi value is on the low end of the typical range. Total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi transparency all help to characterize the trophic status of a lake. For Winsted Lake, these measures indicate hypereutrophic conditions.