Pelican Lake vs West Lost Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pelican Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than West Lost Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Both Pelican Lake and West Lost 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. Pelican Lake (A) is materially cleaner than West Lost Lake (C). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Pelican Lake is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?
Pelican Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 16.1 ft down.
West Lost Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Pelican Lake | West Lost Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 16.1 ft | 7.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 4.0K acres | 794.65 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Pelican Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus West Lost Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 16.1 ft vs 7.2 ft. For fishing diversity, Pelican Lake also leads with 1 species.