Mille Lacs Lake vs Sugar Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Sugar Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Mille Lacs Lake (B, Good). Both are in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
B
Mille Lacs Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft.
A
Sugar Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Mille Lacs Lake | Sugar Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 10.5 ft | 15.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 9.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 128.3K acres | 415.87 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 21 | 13 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Sugar Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Mille Lacs Lake's Grade B. Water clarity: 15.5 ft vs 10.5 ft. For more fish-species variety, Mille Lacs Lake edges ahead with 21 documented species.