Clear Lake vs Sugar Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Clear Lake and Sugar Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
A
Clear Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down.
A
Sugar Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clear Lake | Sugar Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 16 ft | 15.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 9.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 573.5 acres | 415.87 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 13 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Clear Lake: 16 ft, Sugar Lake: 15.5 ft) and what you want from the lake. Clear Lake supports more documented fish species.