Campbell Lake vs Julia Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Julia Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Campbell Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
Both Campbell Lake and Julia 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. Julia Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Campbell 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 — Julia 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?
Campbell Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.7 ft.
Julia Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Campbell Lake | Julia Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 6.7 ft | 9.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 21.5 µg/L | 21 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.4 µg/L | 4.5 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft | 43 ft |
| Surface Area | 463 acres | 511 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 10 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Julia Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Campbell Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 9.2 ft vs 6.7 ft. For more fish-species variety, Campbell Lake edges ahead with 14 documented species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.