Calhoun Lake vs Crow R Mill Pond
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Crow R Mill Pond has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Calhoun Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Both Calhoun Lake and Crow R Mill Pond sit in Minnesota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. Crow R Mill Pond (A) is materially cleaner than Calhoun 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 — Crow R Mill Pond 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?
Calhoun Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft.
Crow R Mill Pond
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Calhoun Lake | Crow R Mill Pond |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 6.9 ft | 7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | 21 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.8 µg/L | 6.7 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 13 ft | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 647 acres | 2,290 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 15 | 13 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Crow R Mill Pond wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Calhoun Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 7 ft vs 6.9 ft. For more fish-species variety, Calhoun Lake edges ahead with 15 documented species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.