Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J vs Vandalia Community Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Vandalia Community Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Wisconsin.
Both Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J and Vandalia Community Lake sit in Missouri. 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: Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J grades a C while Vandalia Community 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 — Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J 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?
Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J
Murky, only visible to about 3.7 ft.
Vandalia Community Lake
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J | Vandalia Community Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | F (Very Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 3.7 ft | 1.8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 33.6 µg/L | 110 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 14.6 µg/L | 42 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 5.9K acres | 38 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Vandalia Community Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 3.7 ft vs 1.8 ft. For fishing diversity, Mark Twain Lake by Hwy J also leads with 0 species.