Birch Lake vs Johnson Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Birch Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Johnson Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
C
Birch Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft.
F
Johnson Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Birch Lake | Johnson Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | F (Very Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 3.9 ft | 3 ft |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 7.1K acres | 455.98 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 10 | 11 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Birch Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Johnson Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 3.9 ft vs 3 ft. For more fish-species variety, Johnson Lake edges ahead with 11 documented species.