Green 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 Green Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Chisago County, Minnesota.
Green Lake and South Lindstrom 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. South Lindstrom Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Green 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 — 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?
Green Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft.
South Lindstrom Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Green Lake | South Lindstrom Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 6 ft | 5.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 23 µg/L | 16 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.4 µg/L | 6.1 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,809 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 Green Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 5.6 ft vs 6 ft. For more fish-species variety, Green Lake edges ahead with 15 documented species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.