Ellis Lake vs Plymouth Reservoir
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Ellis Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Plymouth Reservoir (D, Poor). Both are in Wisconsin.
Ellis Lake and Plymouth Reservoir are both in New York — 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Ellis Lake (C) versus Plymouth Reservoir (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.
Ellis Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.8 ft.
Plymouth Reservoir
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ellis Lake | Plymouth Reservoir |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 7.8 ft | 6.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 43.6 acres | 77 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Ellis Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Plymouth Reservoir's Grade D. Water clarity: 7.8 ft vs 6.2 ft. For fishing diversity, Ellis Lake also leads with 0 species.