What is the cleanest lake near Freeborn Lake?

South Oscar Lake in Douglas County holds a Grade A water quality score and is 2.7 miles from Freeborn Lake.

Why is Freeborn Lake not Grade A?

Freeborn Lake holds Grade C, with about 4.6 ft of water clarity and 35 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 Freeborn Lake in Minnesota, with strictly higher numeric grade scores and sufficient monitoring data.

Cleaner Lakes Than Freeborn Lake, Top 5 Within 30 Miles, LakeQuality

Cleaner Lakes Than Freeborn Lake

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

Freeborn Lake carries a Grade C (Fair) water quality score. Within 30 miles, 5 lakes hold a higher grade. South Oscar Lake (Douglas County, Grade A, 2.7 mi away) is the closest meaningful upgrade.

South Oscar Lake

Douglas County, Minnesota · 2.7 mi from Freeborn Lake

+Two grade letters higher (C → A)
++12.1 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (20 vs 35 µg/L)

Blackwell Lake

Douglas County, Minnesota · 4.1 mi from Freeborn Lake

+Two grade letters higher (C → A)
++6.9 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (15 vs 35 µg/L)

Crooked Lake

Douglas County, Minnesota · 5.6 mi from Freeborn Lake

+Higher grade (C → B)
++9.4 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (20 vs 35 µg/L)

Mill Lake

Douglas County, Minnesota · 6.1 mi from Freeborn Lake

+Higher grade (C → B)
++6.4 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (24 vs 35 µg/L)

Rachel Lake

Douglas County, Minnesota · 3.5 mi from Freeborn Lake

+Higher grade (C → B)
++4.3 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (20 vs 35 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.