Green Lake East Basin vs Green Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Green Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Green Lake East Basin (C, Fair). Both are in Green Lake County, Wisconsin.
Both Green Lake East Basin and Green Lake sit in Wisconsin. 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: Green Lake grades a A while Green Lake East Basin 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 — Green 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 East Basin
Good clarity, visible to about 11.8 ft.
Green Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Green Lake East Basin | Green Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 11.8 ft | 13.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 41 µg/L | 38.1 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | 4.4 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 236 ft | 236 ft |
| Surface Area | 7,920 acres | 7,920 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 7 | 7 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Green Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Green Lake East Basin's Grade C. Water clarity: 13.5 ft vs 11.8 ft. For fishing diversity, Green Lake also leads with 7 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.