Deer Lake vs North Turtle Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Deer Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than North Turtle Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
B
Deer Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft.
D
North Turtle Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Deer Lake | North Turtle Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 11.5 ft | 3.8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | 63 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft | 19 ft |
| Surface Area | 447.07 acres | 1.8K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 | 12 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Deer Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus North Turtle Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 11.5 ft vs 3.8 ft. For fishing diversity, Deer Lake also leads with 16 species.