Ocheda Lake vs West Graham Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
West Graham Lake has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than Ocheda Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Nobles County, Minnesota.
Ocheda Lake and West Graham 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Ocheda Lake (F) versus West Graham Lake (D). The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With grades this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Ocheda Lake
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility.
West Graham Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Ocheda Lake | West Graham Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | F (Very Poor) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 1.6 ft | 4.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 265 µg/L | 208 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 5 ft | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 1.7K acres | 519.29 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 10 | 17 |
| Trophic State | hypereutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
West Graham Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus Ocheda Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 4.1 ft vs 1.6 ft. For fishing diversity, West Graham Lake also leads with 17 species.