Crystal Lake vs Prairie Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Crystal Lake and Prairie Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of B (Good). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
B
Crystal Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft.
B
Prairie Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Crystal Lake | Prairie Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 10.2 ft | 8.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | 18 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft | 22 ft |
| Surface Area | 1.4K acres | 1.0K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 17 | 15 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade B. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Crystal Lake: 10.2 ft, Prairie Lake: 8.9 ft) and what you want from the lake. Crystal Lake supports more documented fish species.