Barnes Lake vs Hemmingway Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Barnes Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Hemmingway Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Lapeer County, Wisconsin.
Barnes Lake and Hemmingway Lake are both in Michigan — 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: Barnes Lake grades a A while Hemmingway 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 — Barnes 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?
Barnes Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft.
Hemmingway Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Barnes Lake | Hemmingway Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 14.5 ft | 7.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 110 acres | 65 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Barnes Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Hemmingway Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 14.5 ft vs 7.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Barnes Lake also leads with 0 species.