E. A. Patterson Lake vs Patterson Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Patterson Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than E. A. Patterson Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Stark County, North Dakota.
Both E. A. Patterson Lake and Patterson Lake sit in North Dakota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. Patterson Lake (B) is materially cleaner than E. A. Patterson Lake (D). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Patterson Lake is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?
E. A. Patterson Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.3 ft.
Patterson Lake
No clarity data.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | E. A. Patterson Lake | Patterson Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 5.3 ft | No data |
| Phosphorus | 262.5 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 15.9 µg/L | 7.8 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 18.4 ft | 24.8 ft |
| Surface Area | 2.2K acres | 946.2 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 6 | 9 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Patterson Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus E. A. Patterson Lake's Grade D. For fishing diversity, Patterson Lake also leads with 9 species.