Pool on Lake St. Croix vs St. Croix Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
St. Croix Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Pool on Lake St. Croix (C, Fair). Both are in Washington County, Minnesota.
Both Pool on Lake St. Croix and St. Croix 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 — Pool on Lake St. Croix (C) versus St. Croix 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.
Pool on Lake St. Croix
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft.
St. Croix Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.7 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Pool on Lake St. Croix | St. Croix Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 5.9 ft | 8.7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 32.9 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 78 ft | 78 ft |
| Surface Area | 8.4K acres | 8.4K acres |
| Public Access | No | No |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
St. Croix Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Pool on Lake St. Croix's Grade C. Water clarity: 8.7 ft vs 5.9 ft. For fishing diversity, St. Croix Lake also leads with 1 species.