Buchanan Lake vs Pelican Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pelican Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Buchanan Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
C
Buchanan Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft.
A
Pelican Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16.1 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Buchanan Lake | Pelican Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 5.2 ft | 16.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | 15 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft | 55 ft |
| Surface Area | 963.59 acres | 4.0K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 8 | 20 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Pelican Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Buchanan Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 16.1 ft vs 5.2 ft. For fishing diversity, Pelican Lake also leads with 20 species.