Buffalo Lake vs Upper Maple Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Upper Maple Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Buffalo Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Wright County, Minnesota.
D
Buffalo Lake
Wright County, Minnesota
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility.
A
Upper Maple Lake
Wright County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Buffalo Lake | Upper Maple Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 3 ft | 18 ft |
| Phosphorus | 47 µg/L | 16 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft | 76 ft |
| Surface Area | 1.6K acres | 632.6 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 20 | 15 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Upper Maple Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Buffalo Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 18 ft vs 3 ft. For more fish-species variety, Buffalo Lake edges ahead with 20 documented species.