George Lake vs Washburn Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Washburn Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than George Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Cass County, Minnesota.
George Lake and Washburn 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. Washburn Lake (A) is materially cleaner than George Lake (C). 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 — Washburn 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?
George Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft.
Washburn Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | George Lake | Washburn Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 4.5 ft | 14 ft |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | 11 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft | 111 ft |
| Surface Area | 612.45 acres | 1.6K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Washburn Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus George Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 14 ft vs 4.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Washburn Lake also leads with 1 species.