Medicine Lake vs Minnetonka Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Minnetonka Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Medicine Lake. Both are in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Both Medicine Lake and Minnetonka Lake sit in Minnesota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any differences in the readings here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies sampling them. These two sit close on the readings, Medicine Lake versus Minnetonka Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings 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.
Medicine Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft.
Minnetonka Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Medicine Lake | Minnetonka Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 7.9 ft | 10 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 73.9 µg/L | 28 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.6 µg/L Better | 10.1 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 49 ft | 113 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 924 acres | 14,206 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 15 | 18 Better |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
Swap a lake
Compare Medicine Lake or Minnetonka Lake against a different lake.
Verdict
Minnetonka Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Medicine Lake. Water clarity: 10 ft vs 7.9 ft. For fishing diversity, Minnetonka Lake also leads with 18 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.