Orwell Lake vs Swan Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Swan Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Orwell Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
C
Orwell Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft.
A
Swan Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 12.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Orwell Lake | Swan Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 4.1 ft | 12.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 54 µg/L | 17.5 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft | 44 ft |
| Surface Area | 607.58 acres | 748.9 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 17 | 16 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Swan Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Orwell Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 12.1 ft vs 4.1 ft. For more fish-species variety, Orwell Lake edges ahead with 17 documented species.