Clearwater Lake vs Spike Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Clearwater Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Spike Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Clearwater County, Minnesota.
Clearwater Lake and Spike Lake are both in Minnesota — 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 meaningfully apart: Clearwater Lake grades a A while Spike Lake grades a C. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.
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 10.3 ft.
Spike Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clearwater Lake | Spike Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 10.3 ft | 8.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | 30.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 886 acres | 80 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 1 | 0 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
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 Spike Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 10.3 ft vs 8.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Clearwater Lake also leads with 1 species.