Lou Yaeger Lake vs Palmyra-Modesto Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Palmyra-Modesto Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Lou Yaeger Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Wisconsin.
Lou Yaeger Lake and Palmyra-Modesto Lake are both in Illinois — 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: Palmyra-Modesto Lake grades a C while Lou Yaeger Lake grades a F. 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 — Palmyra-Modesto 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?
Lou Yaeger Lake
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility.
Palmyra-Modesto Lake
No clarity data.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lou Yaeger Lake | Palmyra-Modesto Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | F (Very Poor) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 1.8 ft | No data |
| Phosphorus | 217 µg/L | 56 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 1.4K acres | 37 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | hypereutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Palmyra-Modesto Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Lou Yaeger Lake's Grade F. For fishing diversity, Palmyra-Modesto Lake also leads with 0 species.