What is the cleanest lake near Knaus Lake?

Schneider Lake in Stearns County holds a Grade B water quality score and is 1.3 miles from Knaus Lake.

Why is Knaus Lake not Grade A?

Knaus Lake holds Grade F, with about 2.5 ft of water clarity and 126 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 Knaus Lake in Minnesota, with strictly higher numeric grade scores and sufficient monitoring data.

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

Cleaner Lakes Than Knaus Lake

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

Knaus Lake carries a Grade F (Very Poor) water quality score. Within 30 miles, 4 lakes hold a higher grade. Schneider Lake (Stearns County, Grade B, 1.3 mi away) is the closest meaningful upgrade.

Schneider Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota · 1.3 mi from Knaus Lake

+Two grade letters higher (F → B)
++17.2 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (59 vs 126 µg/L)

Bolfing Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota · 0.8 mi from Knaus Lake

+Two grade letters higher (F → C)
++5.1 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (56 vs 126 µg/L)

Cedar Island Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota · 2.8 mi from Knaus Lake

+Higher grade (F → D)
++1.5 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (60.5 vs 126 µg/L)

Horseshoe Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota · 3.6 mi from Knaus Lake

+Higher grade (F → D)
++1.5 ft water clarity
+Lower phosphorus (120 vs 126 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.