What is the cleanest lake near First Crow Wing Lake?

Island Lake in Hubbard County holds a Grade A water quality score and is 3.4 miles from First Crow Wing Lake.

Why is First Crow Wing Lake not Grade A?

First Crow Wing Lake holds Grade C, with about 5.9 ft of water clarity and 30 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 First Crow Wing Lake in Minnesota, with strictly higher numeric grade scores and sufficient monitoring data.

Cleaner Lakes Than First Crow Wing Lake, Top 5 Within 30 Miles, LakeQuality

Cleaner Lakes Than First Crow Wing Lake

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

First Crow Wing Lake carries a Grade C (Fair) water quality score. Within 30 miles, 5 lakes hold a higher grade. Island Lake (Hubbard County, Grade A, 3.4 mi away) is the closest meaningful upgrade.

Island Lake

Hubbard County, Minnesota · 3.4 mi from First Crow Wing Lake

+Two grade letters higher (C → A)
++10.5 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (10 vs 30 µg/L)

Duck Lake

Hubbard County, Minnesota · 3.2 mi from First Crow Wing Lake

+Two grade letters higher (C → A)
++4.3 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (16 vs 30 µg/L)

Big Stony Lake

Hubbard County, Minnesota · 4.6 mi from First Crow Wing Lake

+Two grade letters higher (C → A)
++4.4 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (11 vs 30 µg/L)

Mow Lake

Hubbard County, Minnesota · 5.8 mi from First Crow Wing Lake

+Two grade letters higher (C → A)
++8.6 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (8 vs 30 µg/L)

Palmer Lake

Hubbard County, Minnesota · 1.5 mi from First Crow Wing Lake

+Higher grade (C → B)
++3.9 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (11 vs 30 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.