Elkhorn Lake vs Nest Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Elkhorn Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Nest Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Both Elkhorn Lake and Nest 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Elkhorn Lake grades a A while Nest Lake grades a C. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Elkhorn 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?
Elkhorn Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft.
Nest Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.3 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Elkhorn Lake | Nest Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 14.1 ft | 7.3 ft |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | 30 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 72 acres | 1.0K acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| 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
Elkhorn Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Nest Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 14.1 ft vs 7.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Elkhorn Lake also leads with 1 species.