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 14.1 ft.
Nest Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Green Lake | Nest Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) Better | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 14.1 ft Better | 7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L Better | 30 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L Better | 8.5 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 110 ft Better | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 5,569 acres | 969 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 22 Better | 19 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
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
Green Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Nest Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 14.1 ft vs 7 ft. For fishing diversity, Green Lake also leads with 22 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.