Ban Lake vs Elbow Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Elbow Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Ban Lake (D, Poor). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
D
Ban Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft.
C
Elbow Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ban Lake | Elbow Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 6 ft | 7 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 389.29 acres | 1.7K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 9 | 12 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Elbow Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Ban Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 7 ft vs 6 ft. For fishing diversity, Elbow Lake also leads with 12 species.