Lower Hay Lake vs Nokay Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lower Hay Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Nokay Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Both Lower Hay Lake and Nokay 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Lower Hay Lake grades a A while Nokay 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 — Lower Hay 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?
Lower Hay Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down.
Nokay Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lower Hay Lake | Nokay Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 19 ft | 8.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 100 ft | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 700.21 acres | 703.56 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| 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
Lower Hay Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Nokay Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 19 ft vs 8.2 ft. For fishing diversity, Lower Hay Lake also leads with 1 species.