Borden Lake vs Lower Hay Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lower Hay Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Borden Lake (B, Good). Both are in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
B
Borden Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft.
A
Lower Hay Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Borden Lake | Lower Hay Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 10.5 ft | 19 ft |
| Phosphorus | 22.5 µg/L | 13 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 84 ft | 100 ft |
| Surface Area | 1.0K acres | 700.21 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 | 21 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Lower Hay Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Borden Lake's Grade B. Water clarity: 19 ft vs 10.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Lower Hay Lake also leads with 21 species.