Goose Lake vs South Lindstrom Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
South Lindstrom Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Goose Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Chisago County, Minnesota.
Both Goose Lake and South Lindstrom 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: South Lindstrom Lake grades a A while Goose Lake grades a C. 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 — South Lindstrom 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?
Goose Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft.
South Lindstrom Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Goose Lake | South Lindstrom Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 4.5 ft | 5.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 30.5 µg/L | 16 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11.5 µg/L | 6.1 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 732 acres | 455 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 15 | 14 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
South Lindstrom Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Goose Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 5.6 ft vs 4.5 ft. For more fish-species variety, Goose Lake edges ahead with 15 documented species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.