Alpine Lake vs Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Alpine Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm (C, Fair). Both are in Warren County, Wisconsin.
Alpine Lake and Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm are both in Missouri — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. Alpine Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm (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 — Alpine 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?
Alpine Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 12.6 ft.
Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm
Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Alpine Lake | Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 12.6 ft | 3.8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | 20.8 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.5 µg/L | 5.3 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 325 acres | 146 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Alpine Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm's Grade C. Water clarity: 12.6 ft vs 3.8 ft. For fishing diversity, Alpine Lake also leads with 0 species.