Andrew Lake vs Reno Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Andrew Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Reno Lake. Both are in Minnesota.
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 readings are meaningfully apart: Andrew Lake carries clearly lower phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings than Reno Lake. A spread that wide reflects real underlying differences, in watershed inputs, depth profiles, or monitoring rigor.
For a recreational visitor, the wider gap in the readings is decisive: Andrew Lake has the lower nutrient and algae numbers. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?
Andrew Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 13.9 ft.
Reno Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Andrew Lake | Reno Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 13.9 ft Better | 7.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L Better | 33.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L Better | 9.6 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 83 ft Better | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 923 acres | 3,809 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 | 18 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
Swap a lake
Compare Andrew Lake or Reno Lake against a different lake.
Verdict
Andrew Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Reno Lake. 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.