Okabena 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 Okabena Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Nobles County, Minnesota.
Both Okabena Lake and West Graham 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. These two are within a letter of each other on the rubric — Okabena 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.
Okabena Lake
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility.
West Graham Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Okabena Lake | West Graham Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | F (Very Poor) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 3.3 ft | 4.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 166.5 µg/L | 208 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 16 ft | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 776.05 acres | 519.29 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 | 17 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | 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 Okabena Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 4.1 ft vs 3.3 ft. For more fish-species variety, Okabena Lake edges ahead with 18 documented species.