Howard Lake vs Ten Mile Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Ten Mile Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Howard Lake. Both are in Cass County, Minnesota.
Howard Lake and Ten Mile 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. The readings are close: Howard Lake and Ten Mile Lake sit within a narrow band of each other on phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and clarity. The per-parameter table below shows where the small differences actually live.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Howard Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down.
Ten Mile Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 20.5 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Howard Lake | Ten Mile Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 16 ft | 20.5 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | 8.5 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L Better | 1.9 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft | 208 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 386 acres | 5,080 acres |
| Public Access | No | Yes |
| Fish Species | 12 | 17 Better |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
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.
Swap a lake
Compare Howard Lake or Ten Mile Lake against a different lake.
Verdict
Howard Lake and Ten Mile Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Howard Lake: 16 ft, Ten Mile Lake: 20.5 ft) and what you want from the lake. Howard Lake has fewer fish species than Ten Mile Lake.
Stays via Stay22
Where to stay near Howard Lake and Ten Mile Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Howard Lake and Ten Mile Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Howard Lake and Ten Mile Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Howard Lake and Ten Mile Lake?
Get lake water-quality updates plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Howard Lake and Ten Mile Lake — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.