Clitherall Lake vs West Battle Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
West Battle Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Clitherall Lake. Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Both Clitherall Lake and West Battle Lake sit in Minnesota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any differences in the readings here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies sampling them. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Clitherall Lake versus West Battle Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Clitherall Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft.
West Battle Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clitherall Lake | West Battle Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 14.1 ft | 18 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | 8 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | 2.7 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 69 ft | 108 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 2,540 acres | 5,615 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 | 17 Better |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Clitherall Lake and West Battle Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Clitherall Lake: 14.1 ft, West Battle Lake: 18 ft) and what you want from the lake. Clitherall Lake has fewer fish species than West Battle Lake.
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Where to stay near Clitherall Lake and West Battle Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Clitherall Lake and West Battle Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Clitherall Lake and West Battle Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.