Lower Hay Lake vs Rush Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lower Hay Lake and Rush Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
A
Lower Hay Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down.
A
Rush Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lower Hay Lake | Rush Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 19 ft | 18 ft |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | 12 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 100 ft | 105 ft |
| Surface Area | 700.21 acres | 857.82 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 21 | 21 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Lower Hay Lake: 19 ft, Rush Lake: 18 ft) and what you want from the lake. Lower Hay Lake matches its peer on species count.