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LakeQuality

Andrew Lake vs Reno Lake

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Andrew Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Reno Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Minnesota.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

Andrew Lake and Reno Lake are both in Minnesota — 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Andrew Lake grades a A while Reno Lake grades a C. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.

For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Andrew 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?

A

Andrew Lake

Douglas County, Minnesota

Good clarity, visible to about 13.9 ft.

C

Reno Lake

Pope County, Minnesota

Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

MetricAndrew LakeReno Lake
Overall GradeA (Excellent)C (Fair)
Water Clarity13.9 ft7.5 ft
Phosphorus17 µg/L33.5 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)4 µg/L9.6 µg/L
Maximum Depth83 ft23 ft
Surface Area923 acres3,809 acres
Public AccessYesYes
Fish Species1818
Trophic Statemesotrophiceutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Andrew Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Reno Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 13.9 ft vs 7.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Andrew Lake also leads with 18 species.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.