Blackwater Lake vs Rice Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Rice 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
Rice Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 13.8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Blackwater Lake | Rice Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 4.4 ft | 13.8 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft | 68 ft |
| Surface Area | 600.53 acres | 863.38 acres |
| Public Access | No | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 14 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Rice Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Blackwater Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 13.8 ft vs 4.4 ft. For fishing diversity, Rice Lake also leads with 14 species.