What is the cleanest lake near Clear Lake?

Little Mud Lake in Meeker County holds a Grade C water quality score and is 0.9 miles from Clear Lake.

Why is Clear Lake not Grade A?

Clear Lake holds Grade F, with about 2.5 ft of water clarity and 140 µg/L of phosphorus. The grade reflects measured water quality against Metropolitan Council thresholds. Cleaner alternatives nearby score higher on clarity, phosphorus, or chlorophyll-a.

Are these recommendations based on real data?

Yes. Every grade is calculated from EPA Water Quality Portal samples for the lake. Recommendations are limited to lakes within 30 miles of Clear Lake in Minnesota, with strictly higher numeric grade scores and sufficient monitoring data.

Cleaner Lakes Than Clear Lake, Top 4 Within 30 Miles, LakeQuality

Cleaner Lakes Than Clear Lake

4 higher-graded lakes within 30 miles, ranked by grade improvement and proximity.

Clear Lake carries a Grade F (Very Poor) water quality score. Within 30 miles, 4 lakes hold a higher grade. Little Mud Lake (Meeker County, Grade C, 0.9 mi away) is the closest meaningful upgrade.

Little Mud Lake

Meeker County, Minnesota · 0.9 mi from Clear Lake

+Two grade letters higher (F → C)
++3.4 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (27.5 vs 140 µg/L)

Goodners Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota · 8.4 mi from Clear Lake

+Higher grade (F → D)
++2.5 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (71 vs 140 µg/L)

Long Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota · 8.7 mi from Clear Lake

+Higher grade (F → D)
+Lower phosphorus (57.5 vs 140 µg/L)

Betty Lake

Meeker County, Minnesota · 7.9 mi from Clear Lake

+Higher grade (F → D)
++2.1 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (97 vs 140 µg/L)

How this list is built

Every lake on LakeQuality has a calculated grade from EPA Water Quality Portal samples — secchi depth, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a measured against Metropolitan Council thresholds. To suggest cleaner alternatives, we filter lakes within 30 miles to those with a strictly higher numeric score, then rank by grade improvement with a small proximity tiebreak. Cross-state and limited-data lakes are excluded so the list stays locally relevant.