German Lake vs Lake Jefferson
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lake Jefferson has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than German Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
German Lake and Lake Jefferson 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 Lake Jefferson (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
Very murky, less than 3.2 ft of visibility.
Lake Jefferson
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | German Lake | Lake Jefferson |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 3.2 ft | 4 ft |
| Phosphorus | 84 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 888.77 acres | 684.57 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
Lake Jefferson wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus German Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 4 ft vs 3.2 ft. For fishing diversity, Lake Jefferson also leads with 1 species.