Little Gunflint Lake vs South Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Little Gunflint Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than South Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Cook County, Minnesota.
Little Gunflint Lake and South 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. Little Gunflint Lake (A) is materially cleaner than South Lake (C). 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 — Little Gunflint 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?
Little Gunflint Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 16.2 ft down.
South Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Little Gunflint Lake | South Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 16.2 ft | 8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 200 ft | 140 ft |
| Surface Area | 4.0K acres | 1.1K acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Little Gunflint Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus South Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 16.2 ft vs 8 ft. For fishing diversity, Little Gunflint Lake also leads with 1 species.