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LakeQuality

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.

Both Ben Branch Lake by Dam and Peaceful Valley Lake sit in Missouri. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. The grades are close: Ben Branch Lake by Dam (D) and Peaceful Valley Lake (C) are within one letter of each other on the LakeGrade rubric. The per-parameter sub-grades below will show where the small differences actually live.

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.

D

Ben Branch Lake by Dam

Osage County, Wisconsin

Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft.

C

Peaceful Valley Lake

Gasconade County, Wisconsin

Murky, only visible to about 4 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricBen Branch Lake by DamPeaceful Valley Lake
Overall GradeD (Poor)C (Fair)
Water Clarity3.9 ft4 ft
Phosphorus30.4 µg/L25.7 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)22.8 µg/L9.1 µg/L
Maximum Depth--
Surface Area44 acres164 acres
Public AccessUnknownUnknown
Fish Species00
Trophic Stateeutrophiceutrophic

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: 4 ft vs 3.9 ft. For fishing diversity, Peaceful Valley Lake also leads with 0 species.