Long Lake vs Potato Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Long Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Potato Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
Long Lake and Potato 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Long Lake grades a A while Potato Lake grades a C. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Long 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?
Long Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft.
Potato Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Long Lake | Potato Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 11.2 ft | 7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 1.9K acres | 2.1K acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| 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
Long Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Potato Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 11.2 ft vs 7 ft. For fishing diversity, Long Lake also leads with 1 species.