Eagle Lake vs West Lost Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Eagle Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than West Lost Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Both Eagle Lake and West Lost Lake sit in Minnesota. 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. Eagle Lake (A) is materially cleaner than West Lost Lake (C). 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 — Eagle 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?
Eagle Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 22.6 ft down.
West Lost Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Eagle Lake | West Lost Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 22.6 ft | 7.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 5 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 46 ft | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 907.4 acres | 794.65 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 10 | 8 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Eagle Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus West Lost Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 22.6 ft vs 7.2 ft. For fishing diversity, Eagle Lake also leads with 10 species.