Geneva Lake vs Smith Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Geneva Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Smith Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Douglas County, Minnesota.
Both Geneva Lake and Smith 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Geneva Lake grades a B while Smith 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 — Geneva 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?
Geneva Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft.
Smith Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Geneva Lake | Smith Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 14.1 ft | 3.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | 60 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 63 ft | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 639.81 acres | 666.33 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| 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
Geneva Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Smith Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 14.1 ft vs 3.6 ft. For fishing diversity, Geneva Lake also leads with 1 species.