Clearwater Lake vs Itasca Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Clearwater Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Itasca Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Clearwater County, Minnesota.
Both Clearwater Lake and Itasca 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. Clearwater Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Itasca 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 — Clearwater 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?
Clearwater Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft.
Itasca Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clearwater Lake | Itasca Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 10 ft | 7.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | 26.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | 14.1 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 999 acres | 1,065 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 15 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Clearwater Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Itasca Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 10 ft vs 7.9 ft. For more fish-species variety, Itasca Lake edges ahead with 15 documented species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.