East Sarah Lake vs Independence Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
East Sarah Lake and Independence Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of D (Poor). Both are in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Both East Sarah Lake and Independence 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — East Sarah Lake (D) versus Independence Lake (D). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
East Sarah Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft.
Independence Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | East Sarah Lake | Independence Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 3.5 ft | 4.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 66.3 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 59 ft | 58 ft |
| Surface Area | 557.23 acres | 832.02 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade D. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (East Sarah Lake: 3.5 ft, Independence Lake: 4.9 ft) and what you want from the lake. East Sarah Lake matches its peer on species count.