Big Mcdonald Lake vs West Mcdonald Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Big Mcdonald Lake and West Mcdonald Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
A
Big Mcdonald Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16.4 ft down.
A
West Mcdonald Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16.2 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Big Mcdonald Lake | West Mcdonald Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 16.4 ft | 16.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 46 ft | 62 ft |
| Surface Area | 991.7 acres | 596.86 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 15 | 15 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Big Mcdonald Lake: 16.4 ft, West Mcdonald Lake: 16.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Big Mcdonald Lake matches its peer on species count.