East Sarah Lake vs Independence Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
East Sarah Lake and Independence Lake read the same on nutrients and algae. 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 differences in the readings here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies sampling them. These two sit close on the readings, East Sarah Lake versus Independence Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings 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 4.8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | East Sarah Lake | Independence Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 3.5 ft | 4.8 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 128.5 µg/L | 68.8 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | 18.6 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 59 ft Better | 58 ft |
| Surface Area | 557 acres | 832 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 13 | 17 Better |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
Swap a lake
Compare East Sarah Lake or Independence Lake against a different lake.
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade D. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (East Sarah Lake: 3.5 ft, Independence Lake: 4.8 ft) and what you want from the lake. East Sarah Lake has fewer fish species than Independence Lake.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.