Colby Lake vs Whitewater Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Whitewater Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Colby Lake (C, Fair). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
C
Colby Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft.
A
Whitewater Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 15.4 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Colby Lake | Whitewater Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 3.5 ft | 15.4 ft |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | 14 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft | 73 ft |
| Surface Area | 517.72 acres | 1.2K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 15 | 15 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Whitewater Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Colby Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 15.4 ft vs 3.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Whitewater Lake also leads with 15 species.