Frances Lake vs Scotch Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Frances Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Scotch Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
Both Frances Lake and Scotch 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Frances Lake (C) versus Scotch Lake (D). 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.
Frances Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft.
Scotch Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Frances Lake | Scotch Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 6 ft | 4.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 25 µg/L | 569 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | 9.7 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 927.01 acres | 598.21 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Frances Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Scotch Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 6 ft vs 4.1 ft. For fishing diversity, Frances Lake also leads with 1 species.