Lower Prior Lake vs Spring Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lower Prior Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Spring Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Scott County, Minnesota.
Lower Prior Lake and Spring 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Lower Prior Lake (B) versus Spring Lake (C). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Lower Prior Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft.
Spring Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lower Prior Lake | Spring Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 9.5 ft | 7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 26.8 µg/L | 41.9 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 956.16 acres | 591.85 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Lower Prior Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Spring Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 9.5 ft vs 7 ft. For fishing diversity, Lower Prior Lake also leads with 1 species.