First Crow Wing Lake vs Third Crow Wing Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Third Crow Wing Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than First Crow Wing Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
First Crow Wing Lake and Third Crow Wing 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — First Crow Wing Lake (C) versus Third Crow Wing Lake (B). 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.
First Crow Wing Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft.
Third Crow Wing Lake
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | First Crow Wing Lake | Third Crow Wing Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 5.9 ft | 2.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | 21 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 10.9 µg/L | 7.4 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 522 acres | 643 acres |
| Public Access | No | Yes |
| Fish Species | 17 | 18 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Third Crow Wing Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus First Crow Wing Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 2.5 ft vs 5.9 ft. For fishing diversity, Third Crow Wing Lake also leads with 18 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.