Osakis Lake vs Smith Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Osakis Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Smith Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Minnesota.
Osakis Lake and Smith 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 — Osakis Lake (C) versus Smith 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.
Osakis Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft.
Smith Lake
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Osakis Lake | Smith Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 10.5 ft | 3.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 77 µg/L | 60 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 73 ft | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 6.4K acres | 666.33 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Osakis Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Smith Lake's Grade D. Water clarity: 10.5 ft vs 3.6 ft. For fishing diversity, Osakis Lake also leads with 1 species.