Reno Lake vs Villard Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Villard Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Reno Lake. Both are in Pope County, Minnesota.
Both Reno Lake and Villard Lake sit in Minnesota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any differences in the readings here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies sampling them. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Reno Lake versus Villard Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings 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.
Reno Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft.
Villard Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Reno Lake | Villard Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 7.5 ft Better | 4.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 33.5 µg/L | 31 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.6 µg/L Better | 13 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft Better | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 3,809 acres | 544 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 Better | 14 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Reno Lake and Villard Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Reno Lake: 7.5 ft, Villard Lake: 4.6 ft) and what you want from the lake. Reno Lake supports more documented fish species.
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Where to stay near Reno Lake and Villard Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Reno Lake and Villard Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.