Ames Lake vs Sand Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Ames Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Sand Lake (A, Excellent). Both are in Itasca County, Minnesota.
A
Ames Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft.
A
Sand Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ames Lake | Sand Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 10 ft | 13 ft |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | 18 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.3 µg/L | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 563.87 acres | 714.55 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 13 | 0 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Ames Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Sand Lake's Grade A. Water clarity: 10 ft vs 13 ft. For fishing diversity, Ames Lake also leads with 13 species.