What is the cleanest lake near Cleary Lake?

Lower Prior Lake in Scott County holds a Grade B water quality score and is 3 miles from Cleary Lake.

Why is Cleary Lake not Grade A?

Cleary Lake holds Grade F, with about 2.3 ft of water clarity and 172.9 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 Cleary Lake in Minnesota, with strictly higher numeric grade scores and sufficient monitoring data.

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

Cleaner Lakes Than Cleary Lake

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

Cleary Lake carries a Grade F (Very Poor) water quality score. Within 30 miles, 4 lakes hold a higher grade. Lower Prior Lake (Scott County, Grade B, 3 mi away) is the closest meaningful upgrade.

Lower Prior Lake

Scott County, Minnesota · 3 mi from Cleary Lake

+Two grade letters higher (F → B)
++7.2 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (26.8 vs 172.9 µg/L)

Spring Lake

Scott County, Minnesota · 4.1 mi from Cleary Lake

+Two grade letters higher (F → C)
++4.7 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (41.9 vs 172.9 µg/L)

Upper Prior Lake

Scott County, Minnesota · 3.2 mi from Cleary Lake

+Two grade letters higher (F → C)
++3.7 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (32.7 vs 172.9 µg/L)

Orchard Lake

Dakota County, Minnesota · 4 mi from Cleary Lake

+Two grade letters higher (F → C)
++2.5 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (30 vs 172.9 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.