North Turtle Lake vs Pelican Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pelican Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than North Turtle Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Both North Turtle Lake and Pelican 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. Pelican Lake (A) is materially cleaner than North Turtle Lake (D). 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 — Pelican 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 Turtle Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft.
Pelican Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 16.4 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | North Turtle Lake | Pelican Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 4 ft | 16.4 ft |
| Phosphorus | 54.5 µg/L | 15 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 22 µg/L | 3 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 19 ft | 55 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,773 acres | 3,962 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 12 | 20 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Pelican Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus North Turtle Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 16.4 ft vs 4 ft. For fishing diversity, Pelican Lake also leads with 20 species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.