Clearwater Lake vs Elbow Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Clearwater Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Elbow Lake (B, Good). Both are in Cook County, Minnesota.
A
Clearwater Lake
Cook County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 30 ft down.
B
Elbow Lake
Cook County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 3.7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clearwater Lake | Elbow Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 30 ft | 3.7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 4 µg/L | 19 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft | 9 ft |
| Surface Area | 461.73 acres | 408.33 acres |
| Public Access | No | Yes |
| Fish Species | 0 | 7 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | 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 Elbow Lake's Grade B. Water clarity: 30 ft vs 3.7 ft. For more fish-species variety, Elbow Lake edges ahead with 7 documented species.