China Pond vs Sagamore Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
China Pond has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Sagamore Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Putnam County, Wisconsin.
China Pond and Sagamore Lake are both in New York — 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. China Pond (A) is materially cleaner than Sagamore 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 — China 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?
China Pond
Crystal clear, you can see 15.2 ft down.
Sagamore Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | China Pond | Sagamore Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 15.2 ft | 5 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 45 acres | 96 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
China Pond wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Sagamore Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 15.2 ft vs 5 ft. For fishing diversity, China Pond also leads with 0 species.