Lobster Lake vs Rachel Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lobster Lake and Rachel Lake read the same on nutrients and algae. Both are in Douglas County, Minnesota.
Lobster Lake and Rachel 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. These two sit close on the readings, Lobster Lake versus Rachel Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
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.
Lobster Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft.
Rachel Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lobster Lake | Rachel Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 13 ft Better | 7.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 20.5 µg/L Better | 22.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L Better | 3.9 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,334 acres | 448 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 Better | 14 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
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 Lobster Lake or Rachel Lake against a different lake.
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Lobster Lake: 13 ft, Rachel Lake: 7.9 ft) and what you want from the lake. Lobster Lake supports more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.