North Lake West Basin vs Okauchee Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Okauchee Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than North Lake West Basin (C, Fair). Both are in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Both North Lake West Basin 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. Okauchee Lake (A) is materially cleaner than North Lake West Basin (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 — 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?
North Lake West Basin
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft.
Okauchee Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11.3 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | North Lake West Basin | Okauchee Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 9.5 ft | 11.3 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 18 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 78.4 ft | 90 ft |
| Surface Area | 440 acres | 1.2K acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 5 | 6 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | 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 North Lake West Basin's Grade C. Water clarity: 11.3 ft vs 9.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Okauchee Lake also leads with 6 species.