Green Lake vs Nest Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Green Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Nest Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Both Green Lake and Nest 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. Green Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Nest 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 — 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
Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft.
Nest Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.3 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Green Lake | Nest Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 13.1 ft | 7.3 ft |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | 30 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 5.6K acres | 1.0K acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
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 Nest Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 13.1 ft vs 7.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Green Lake also leads with 1 species.