Birch Lake vs South Turtle Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
South Turtle Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Birch Lake (B, Good). Both are in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
Both Birch Lake and South Turtle Lake sit in Wisconsin. 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: Birch Lake (B) and South Turtle Lake (B) 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.
Birch Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6.5 ft.
South Turtle Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Birch Lake | South Turtle Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 6.5 ft | 8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 16.6 µg/L | 17.4 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 506 acres | 466 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
South Turtle Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Birch Lake's Grade B. Water clarity: 8 ft vs 6.5 ft. For fishing diversity, South Turtle Lake also leads with 0 species.