Crystal Lake vs Madison Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Madison Lake has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than Crystal Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.
F
Crystal Lake
Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility.
D
Madison Lake
Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Crystal Lake | Madison Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | F (Very Poor) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 1.5 ft | 3.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 172 µg/L | 75 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 8 ft | 59 ft |
| Surface Area | 379.38 acres | 1.4K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 12 | 20 |
| Trophic State | hypereutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Madison Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus Crystal Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 3.6 ft vs 1.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Madison Lake also leads with 20 species.