East Sarah Lake vs Minnetonka Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Minnetonka Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than East Sarah Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Both East Sarah Lake and Minnetonka 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 Minnetonka Lake (C). 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.
Minnetonka Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | East Sarah Lake | Minnetonka Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 3.5 ft | 10 ft |
| Phosphorus | 128.5 µg/L | 28 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | 10.1 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 59 ft | 113 ft |
| Surface Area | 557 acres | 14,206 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 13 | 18 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Minnetonka Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus East Sarah Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 10 ft vs 3.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Minnetonka Lake also leads with 18 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.