Ada Lake vs Norway Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Ada Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Norway Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Cass County, Minnesota.
Both Ada Lake and Norway Lake sit in Minnesota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. Ada Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Norway Lake (C). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Ada Lake is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?
Ada Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft.
Norway Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ada Lake | Norway Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 14 ft | 6.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | 20.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 963.31 acres | 514.89 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Ada Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Norway Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 14 ft vs 6.6 ft. For fishing diversity, Ada Lake also leads with 1 species.