German Lake vs Gorman Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
German Lake has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than Gorman Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
German Lake and Gorman 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — German Lake (D) versus Gorman 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.
German Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft.
Gorman Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | German Lake | Gorman Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 3.5 ft | 3.7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 79 µg/L | 531.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 888.77 acres | 521.12 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 19 | 16 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | hypereutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
German Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus Gorman Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 3.5 ft vs 3.7 ft. For fishing diversity, German Lake also leads with 19 species.