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LakeQuality

Blackduck Lake vs Kabetogama Lake

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Blackduck Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Kabetogama Lake (D, Poor). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

Both Blackduck Lake and Kabetogama Lake sit in Minnesota. 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Blackduck Lake (C) versus Kabetogama Lake (D). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.

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.

C

Blackduck Lake

St. Louis County, Minnesota

Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.8 ft.

D

Kabetogama Lake

St. Louis County, Minnesota

Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricBlackduck LakeKabetogama Lake
Overall GradeC (Fair)D (Poor)
Water Clarity6.8 ft3.8 ft
PhosphorusNo dataNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No dataNo data
Maximum Depth30 ft80 ft
Surface Area1.2K acres24.0K acres
Public AccessYesYes
Fish Species11
Trophic Statemesotrophiceutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Blackduck Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Kabetogama Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 6.8 ft vs 3.8 ft. For fishing diversity, Blackduck Lake also leads with 1 species.