Ml-Peterson Lake vs Ml-Seventeen Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Ml-Seventeen Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Ml-Peterson Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Minnesota.
Both Ml-Peterson Lake and Ml-Seventeen 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. Ml-Seventeen Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Ml-Peterson 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 — Ml-Seventeen 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?
Ml-Peterson Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.4 ft.
Ml-Seventeen Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ml-Peterson Lake | Ml-Seventeen Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 7.4 ft | 6.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 26 µg/L | 24 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | 5.3 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 128,250 acres | 128,250 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 21 | 21 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Ml-Seventeen Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Ml-Peterson Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 6.2 ft vs 7.4 ft. For fishing diversity, Ml-Seventeen Lake also leads with 21 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.