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LakeQuality

Hemitite Lake vs Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Hemitite Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Wisconsin.

Hemitite Lake and Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes are both in Missouri — 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. Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes (A) is materially cleaner than Hemitite Lake (F). 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 — Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes 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?

F

Hemitite Lake

St. Francois County, Wisconsin

Very murky, less than 1.1 ft of visibility.

A

Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes

Washington County, Wisconsin

Good clarity, visible to about 11.1 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricHemitite LakeLake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes
Overall GradeF (Very Poor)A (Excellent)
Water Clarity1.1 ft11.1 ft
Phosphorus186.9 µg/L5 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)91.9 µg/L1.2 µg/L
Maximum Depth--
Surface Area220 acres51 acres
Public AccessUnknownUnknown
Fish Species00
Trophic Statehypereutrophicoligotrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Hemitite Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 11.1 ft vs 1.1 ft. For fishing diversity, Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes also leads with 0 species.