East Lost Lake vs North Turtle Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
East Lost Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than North Turtle Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
East Lost Lake and North Turtle Lake are both in Minnesota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. East Lost Lake (B) is materially cleaner than North Turtle 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 — East Lost 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?
East Lost Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft.
North Turtle Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | East Lost Lake | North Turtle Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 12.5 ft | 3.8 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
East Lost Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus North Turtle Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 12.5 ft vs 3.8 ft. For fishing diversity, East Lost Lake also leads with 1 species.