Calhoun Lake vs Diamond Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Calhoun Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Diamond Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Both Calhoun Lake and Diamond Lake 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. Calhoun Lake (B) is materially cleaner than Diamond Lake (D). 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 — Calhoun 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?
Calhoun Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.3 ft.
Diamond Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Calhoun Lake | Diamond Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 7.3 ft | 5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 23.5 µg/L | 68 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 617 acres | 1.7K acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Calhoun Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Diamond Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 7.3 ft vs 5 ft. For fishing diversity, Calhoun Lake also leads with 1 species.