Ben Branch Lake by Dam vs Peaceful Valley Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Peaceful Valley Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Ben Branch Lake by Dam (D, Poor). Both are in Wisconsin.
Ben Branch Lake by Dam and Peaceful Valley Lake are both in Missouri — 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Ben Branch Lake by Dam (D) versus Peaceful Valley Lake (C). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Ben Branch Lake by Dam
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft.
Peaceful Valley Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ben Branch Lake by Dam | Peaceful Valley Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 3.9 ft | 3.8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 30.4 µg/L | 24.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 22.8 µg/L | 12.7 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 44 acres | 164 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Peaceful Valley Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Ben Branch Lake by Dam's Grade D. Water clarity: 3.8 ft vs 3.9 ft. For fishing diversity, Peaceful Valley Lake also leads with 0 species.