Fon-du-Lac Reservoir vs Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Fon-du-Lac Reservoir (F, Very Poor). Both are in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Fon-du-Lac Reservoir and Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam are both in Missouri — 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. Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam (A) is materially cleaner than Fon-du-Lac Reservoir (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 — Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam 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?
Fon-du-Lac Reservoir
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility.
Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam
Good clarity, visible to about 12.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Fon-du-Lac Reservoir | Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | F (Very Poor) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 1.3 ft | 12.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 81 µg/L | 8 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 40.7 µg/L | 1.7 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 26 acres | 86 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Fon-du-Lac Reservoir's Grade F. Water clarity: 12.9 ft vs 1.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam also leads with 0 species.