North Lake West Basin vs Pine Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pine Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than North Lake West Basin (C, Fair). Both are in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
North Lake West Basin and Pine Lake are both in Wisconsin — 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 meaningfully apart: Pine Lake grades a A while North Lake West Basin grades a C. 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 — Pine 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.
Pine Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 25 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | North Lake West Basin | Pine Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 9.5 ft | 25 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 11.9 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 78.4 ft | 85 ft |
| Surface Area | 440 acres | 711 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 5 | 5 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Pine Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus North Lake West Basin's Grade C. Water clarity: 25 ft vs 9.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Pine Lake also leads with 5 species.