Big Turkey Lake vs Lake George
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lake George has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Big Turkey Lake (D, Nutrient-rich). Both are in Steuben County, Indiana.
Big Turkey Lake and Lake George are both in Indiana — 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. Lake George (A) is materially cleaner than Big Turkey Lake (D). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Lake George 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?
Big Turkey Lake
No clarity data.
Lake George
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Big Turkey Lake | Lake George |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Nutrient-rich) | A (Excellent) Better |
| Water Clarity | No data | 14.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 51 µg/L | 22 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19 µg/L | 2 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 470 acres | 538 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Yes |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Lake George wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Big Turkey Lake's Grade D. For fishing diversity, Lake George also leads with 0 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.