North Long Lake vs Ross Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
North Long Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Ross Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
North Long Lake and Ross Lake are both in Minnesota — 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: North Long Lake grades a A while Ross Lake 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 — North Long 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 Long Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down.
Ross Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | North Long Lake | Ross Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 15.1 ft | 3.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | 30 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 97 ft | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 6.2K acres | 491.76 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 | 13 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
North Long Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Ross Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 15.1 ft vs 3.5 ft. For fishing diversity, North Long Lake also leads with 18 species.