Leota Lake vs Rock River Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Rock River Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Leota Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Rock County, Wisconsin.
Leota Lake and Rock River Lake are both in Wisconsin — 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. Rock River Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Leota 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 — Rock River 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?
Leota Lake
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility.
Rock River Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 21 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Leota Lake | Rock River Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 1.5 ft | 21 ft |
| Phosphorus | 77 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 41 acres | 548 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
Rock River Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Leota Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 21 ft vs 1.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Rock River Lake also leads with 0 species.