Lac la Belle Lake vs Oconomowoc Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Oconomowoc Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Lac la Belle Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Both Lac la Belle Lake and Oconomowoc 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. Oconomowoc Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Lac la Belle Lake (D). 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 — Oconomowoc 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?
Lac la Belle Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft.
Oconomowoc Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lac la Belle Lake | Oconomowoc Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 5.5 ft | 13 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 11.7 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 1.2K acres | 818 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Oconomowoc Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Lac la Belle Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 13 ft vs 5.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Oconomowoc Lake also leads with 0 species.