Gorman Lake vs Scotch Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Gorman Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Scotch Lake. Both are in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
Gorman Lake and Scotch 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 sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Gorman Lake versus Scotch Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings 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.
Gorman Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.7 ft.
Scotch Lake
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Gorman Lake | Scotch Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 3.7 ft Better | 2.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 531.5 µg/L Better | 569 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 47 µg/L | 9.7 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft Better | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 521 acres | 598 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 Better | 5 |
| Trophic State | hypereutrophic | hypereutrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Scotch Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Gorman Lake. Water clarity: 2.6 ft vs 3.7 ft. For more fish-species variety, Gorman Lake edges ahead with 16 documented species.
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Where to stay near Gorman Lake and Scotch Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Gorman Lake and Scotch Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Gorman Lake and Scotch Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.