Lake Mendota vs Lake Waubesa
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lake Mendota has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Lake Waubesa (B, Good). Both are in Dane County, Wisconsin.
B
Lake Mendota
Dane County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
B
Lake Waubesa
Dane County, Wisconsin
Good clarity, visible to about 10.3 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lake Mendota | Lake Waubesa |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 18 ft | 10.3 ft |
| Phosphorus | 50.2 µg/L | 36.6 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 83 ft | 38 ft |
| Surface Area | 9.8K acres | 2.1K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 8 | 7 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Lake Mendota wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Lake Waubesa's Grade B. Water clarity: 18 ft vs 10.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Lake Mendota also leads with 8 species.