Borden Lake vs Camp Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Borden Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Camp Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Borden Lake and Camp Lake are both in Minnesota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. Borden Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Camp Lake (C). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Borden Lake is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?
Borden Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft.
Camp Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.3 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Borden Lake | Camp Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 10.5 ft | 8.3 ft |
| Phosphorus | 23 µg/L | 19.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | 10.4 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 84 ft | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,011 acres | 534 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 | 12 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Borden Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Camp Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 10.5 ft vs 8.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Borden Lake also leads with 16 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.