Florida Lake vs Norway Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Florida Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Norway Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Both Florida Lake and Norway 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. Florida Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Norway Lake (F). 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 — Florida 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?
Florida Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 12.3 ft.
Norway Lake
Very murky, less than 2.4 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Florida Lake | Norway Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | F (Very Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 12.3 ft | 2.4 ft |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | 60 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.8 µg/L | 37.4 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 705 acres | 527 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 | 15 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Florida Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Norway Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 12.3 ft vs 2.4 ft. For fishing diversity, Florida Lake also leads with 18 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.