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LakeQuality

Okabena Lake vs Round Lake

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Round Lake has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than Okabena Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Minnesota.

Okabena Lake and Round 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 — Okabena Lake (F) versus Round 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.

F

Okabena Lake

Nobles County, Minnesota

Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility.

D

Round Lake

Jackson County, Minnesota

Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricOkabena LakeRound Lake
Overall GradeF (Very Poor)D (Poor)
Water Clarity3.3 ft2 ft
Phosphorus166.5 µg/L77 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No dataNo data
Maximum Depth16 ft9 ft
Surface Area776.05 acres929.85 acres
Public AccessYesYes
Fish Species11
Trophic Stateeutrophiceutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Round Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus Okabena Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 2 ft vs 3.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Round Lake also leads with 1 species.