Blackwater Lake vs Shallow Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Shallow Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) 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.
A
Shallow Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16.4 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Blackwater Lake | Shallow Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 4.4 ft | 16.4 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 9 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft | 85 ft |
| Surface Area | 600.53 acres | 538.95 acres |
| Public Access | No | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 12 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Shallow Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Blackwater Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 16.4 ft vs 4.4 ft. For more fish-species variety, Blackwater Lake edges ahead with 14 documented species.