Lake Charlotte is approximately 1 1/4 miles long and 1/3 mile wide, with 3.7 miles of shoreline. The lake has a total surface area of 237.92 acres (94 littoral acres) and has a maximum depth 46 feet with a mean depth of 21 feet. The Normal Ordinary High Water Level has been established at 955.4 ft. MSL (mean sea level) as of August 1994. A lake map can be found on the DNR website.
Water levels have fluctuated since the DNR began keeping record back in 1953. Since the mid-80s, elevation has varied by around 6 feet. Lake Charlotte has no natural outlets. In 1996, with the lake at its highest recorded level of 956.68 feet, "the pump" was installed in a shed on the south end of the lake. The pump is capable of moving 1.2 to 1.5 million gallons per day, pushing lake water through an 8" pipe 3.5 miles along County Roads 33 and 44 to a holding pond, where it then drains through a culvert into the Crow River. It has been estimated that perhaps 8 or 10 vertical feet or more have been pumped from the lake since 1996. The pump costs approximately $2000/month in electrical costs to operate, paid by taxes assessed via the Lake Charlotte Improvement District (LID) Water Clarity  Water Quality The Charlotte Lake Improvement District (LID) has been testing water quality via Wright County Soil & Water with RMB Environmental Laboratories since 2004. Overall quality is very good when compared with other lakes in the area. However, an increase in Phosphorous levels has been recorded over the years, an indication of decreasing water quality. See the latest Water Quality Summary and Phosphorous trend PDF files linked at the bottom of this page. Water quality data for Lake Charlotte and many other lakes can be found on the RMB website. See the Lakes Monitoring Database at http://rmbel.info/lakes/ to access data, run reports, etc. Charlotte's Lake ID is 86-0011-00.
Aquatic Plant Survey In 2012, the Lake Charlotte Improvement Association Board contracted with PLM, Inc. to conduct a Point-intercept Aquatic Plant Survey, to monitor the health of the lake's vegetation. The first survey was done on May 30 and a second one on August 28. Aquatic vegetation was found at some 240 sites around the lake, in depths to 23 feet, with an average of about 2.5 different species found at each point. Results confirmed presence of Curly-leaf pondweed as our lone invasive species, as well as identified a healthy population of 22 different non-invasive species, with some of the most prevalent being Illinois pondweed, coon tail, and northern watermilfoil. See the full summary report and point-intercept maps attached as PDF files at the bottom of this page. Also see the files attached to the bottom of this page for lake map surveys provided by the DNR in 2000 and 2010, including identifying the presence of Curly Leaf Pondweed.
Fish Survey Under construction. Please check back! Walleye Stocking Walleye Stocking Update Volunteer Water Patrol Volunteer Water Patrol Opportunity Other Links: |
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