Garden Lake vs South Farm Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Garden Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than South Farm Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Lake County, Minnesota.
Garden 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Garden Lake grades a B while South Farm Lake grades a D. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Garden 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?
Garden Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft.
South Farm Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Garden Lake | South Farm Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 5 ft | 5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft | 31 ft |
| Surface Area | 653.33 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
Garden Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus South Farm Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 5 ft vs 5 ft. For fishing diversity, Garden Lake also leads with 1 species.