Mariposa Lake vs Rkcrk 4 Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Mariposa Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Rkcrk 4 Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Jasper County, Wisconsin.
Mariposa Lake and Rkcrk 4 Lake are both in Iowa — 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. Mariposa Lake (C) is materially cleaner than Rkcrk 4 Lake (F). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Mariposa 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?
Mariposa Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5.1 ft.
Rkcrk 4 Lake
Very murky, less than 1.1 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Mariposa Lake | Rkcrk 4 Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | F (Very Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 5.1 ft | 1.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.9 µg/L | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 18.7 acres | 640 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | hypereutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Mariposa Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Rkcrk 4 Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 5.1 ft vs 1.1 ft. For fishing diversity, Mariposa Lake also leads with 0 species.