Clitherall Lake vs Peterson Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Clitherall Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Peterson Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Both Clitherall Lake and Peterson 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Clitherall Lake grades a A while Peterson Lake grades a D. 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 — Clitherall 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?
Clitherall Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.3 ft.
Peterson Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clitherall Lake | Peterson Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 14.3 ft | 5.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 69 ft | 69 ft |
| Surface Area | 2.5K acres | 2.5K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Clitherall Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Peterson Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 14.3 ft vs 5.9 ft. For fishing diversity, Clitherall Lake also leads with 1 species.