Minnewawa Lake vs Round Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Round Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Minnewawa Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
Both Minnewawa Lake and Round Lake sit in Minnesota. 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. Round Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Minnewawa Lake (C). 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 — Round 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?
Minnewawa Lake
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft.
Round Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Minnewawa Lake | Round Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 5 ft | 14.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 24.5 µg/L | 10 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11 µg/L | 2.7 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft | 125 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,351 acres | 737 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 15 | 18 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Round Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Minnewawa Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 14.5 ft vs 5 ft. For fishing diversity, Round Lake also leads with 18 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.