Big Portage Lake vs Lac Vieux Desert Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Big Portage Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Lac Vieux Desert Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
A
Big Portage Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 62.3 ft down.
C
Lac Vieux Desert Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Big Portage Lake | Lac Vieux Desert Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 62.3 ft | 5.7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 11.7 µg/L | 28.2 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft | 38 ft |
| Surface Area | 586 acres | 4.0K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 4 | 6 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Big Portage Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Lac Vieux Desert Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 62.3 ft vs 5.7 ft. For more fish-species variety, Lac Vieux Desert Lake edges ahead with 6 documented species.