Blackwater Lake vs Jay Gould Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Jay Gould Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Blackwater Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Itasca County, Minnesota.
D
Blackwater Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft.
B
Jay Gould Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Blackwater Lake | Jay Gould Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 4.4 ft | 13 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 21 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft | 33 ft |
| Surface Area | 600.53 acres | 551.74 acres |
| Public Access | No | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 16 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Jay Gould Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Blackwater Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 13 ft vs 4.4 ft. For fishing diversity, Jay Gould Lake also leads with 16 species.