Minnetonka Lake vs Minnewashta Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Minnewashta Lake has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Minnetonka Lake (B, Good). Both are in Minnesota.
Minnetonka Lake and Minnewashta 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. The grades are close: Minnetonka Lake (B) and Minnewashta Lake (B) are within one letter of each other on the LakeGrade rubric. The per-parameter sub-grades below will show where the small differences actually live.
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.
Minnetonka Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft.
Minnewashta Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Minnetonka Lake | Minnewashta Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | B (Good) |
| Water Clarity | 9.5 ft | 11.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 27 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 113 ft | 70 ft |
| Surface Area | 14.2K acres | 679.7 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Minnewashta Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Minnetonka Lake's Grade B. Water clarity: 11.5 ft vs 9.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Minnewashta Lake also leads with 1 species.