Cannon Lake vs Wells Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Cannon Lake has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than Wells Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Rice County, Minnesota.
Both Cannon Lake and Wells 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Cannon Lake (D) versus Wells Lake (F). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Cannon Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft.
Wells Lake
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Cannon Lake | Wells Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | F (Very Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 4.1 ft | 2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 244 µg/L | 211 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft | 4 ft |
| Surface Area | 1.6K acres | 677.46 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 17 | 15 |
| Trophic State | hypereutrophic | hypereutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Cannon Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus Wells Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 4.1 ft vs 2 ft. For fishing diversity, Cannon Lake also leads with 17 species.