Lake Assessment Program - Washington Lake, Meeker County

Lake Washington is located in Meeker County and has a large surface area (2639 acres). Land use in the watershed is characterized as agricultural and pasture/ open usage. primarily The land use composition in the watershed is representative for lakes in this region of the state. Lake Washington was sampled by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff and citizens from the Lake Washington Improvement Association ( LWIA) during the spring and summer of 1992. Water quality data collected during the study reveal a mean total phosphorus concentration of 45 ug/1, mean chlorophyll g of 20 ug/1, and Secchi transparency of 3.1 ft. These values are within the range of values exhibited by representative minimally-impacted lakes in this ecoregion. Total phosphorus, chlorophyll s, and Secchi transparency help to characterize the trophic status of a lake. For Lake Washington, these measures indicate eutrophic to hypereutrophic conditions.