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LakeQuality

Carlson-Tande Dam Lake vs South Golden Lake

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Carlson-Tande Dam Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than South Golden Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Wisconsin.

Carlson-Tande Dam Lake and South Golden Lake are both in North Dakota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. The grades are close: Carlson-Tande Dam Lake (C) and South Golden Lake (C) are within one letter of each other on the LakeGrade rubric. The per-parameter sub-grades below will show where the small differences actually live.

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.

C

Carlson-Tande Dam Lake

Griggs County, Wisconsin

Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft.

C

South Golden Lake

Steele County, Wisconsin

Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricCarlson-Tande Dam LakeSouth Golden Lake
Overall GradeC (Fair)C (Fair)
Water Clarity5.6 ft6.2 ft
PhosphorusNo dataNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)8.1 µg/L12.2 µg/L
Maximum Depth--
Surface Area15.79 acres330 acres
Public AccessUnknownUnknown
Fish Species00
Trophic Stateeutrophiceutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Carlson-Tande Dam Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus South Golden Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 5.6 ft vs 6.2 ft. For fishing diversity, Carlson-Tande Dam Lake also leads with 0 species.