Farm Lake vs South Farm Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Farm Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than South Farm Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Lake County, Minnesota.
Farm Lake and South Farm Lake are both in Minnesota — 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. Farm Lake (B) is materially cleaner than South Farm Lake (D). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Farm 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?
Farm Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft.
South Farm Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Farm Lake | South Farm Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 5.5 ft | 5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 56 ft | 31 ft |
| Surface Area | 1.3K acres | 563.98 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| 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
Farm Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus South Farm Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 5.5 ft vs 5 ft. For fishing diversity, Farm Lake also leads with 1 species.