Otter Lake vs Palmyra-Modesto Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Palmyra-Modesto Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Otter Lake (D, Poor). Both are in Macoupin County, Wisconsin.
Otter Lake and Palmyra-Modesto Lake are both in Illinois — 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 — Otter Lake (D) versus Palmyra-Modesto Lake (C). 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.
Otter Lake
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility.
Palmyra-Modesto Lake
No clarity data.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Otter Lake | Palmyra-Modesto Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | D (Poor) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 1.8 ft | No data |
| Phosphorus | 37 µg/L | 56 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 760 acres | 37 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Palmyra-Modesto Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Otter Lake's Grade D. For fishing diversity, Palmyra-Modesto Lake also leads with 0 species.