Lobster Lake vs Smith Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lobster Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Smith Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Douglas County, Minnesota.
Both Lobster Lake and Smith Lake sit in Minnesota. 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. Lobster Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Smith Lake (F). 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 — Lobster 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?
Lobster Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft.
Smith Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lobster Lake | Smith Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | F (Very Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 13 ft | 3.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 20.5 µg/L | 58 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | 36 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,334 acres | 666 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 | 15 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Lobster Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Smith Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 13 ft vs 3.6 ft. For fishing diversity, Lobster Lake also leads with 18 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.