Muskego Lake vs Okauchee Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Okauchee Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Muskego Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Both Muskego Lake and Okauchee Lake sit in Wisconsin. 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. The grades are meaningfully apart: Okauchee Lake grades a A while Muskego Lake grades a D. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Okauchee 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?
Muskego Lake
No clarity data.
Okauchee Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Muskego Lake | Okauchee Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | No data | 11.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 59.4 µg/L | 18 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | 3.9 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft | 90 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,194 acres | 1,210 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 3 | 6 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Okauchee Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Muskego Lake's Grade D. For fishing diversity, Okauchee Lake also leads with 6 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.