Ely Lake vs Pike Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Ely Lake and Pike Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
A
Ely Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down.
A
Pike Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ely Lake | Pike Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 16 ft | 18 ft |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 70 ft | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 723.09 acres | 488.26 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 9 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Ely Lake: 16 ft, Pike Lake: 18 ft) and what you want from the lake. Ely Lake supports more documented fish species.