Reno Lake vs Villard Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Reno Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Villard Lake (C, Fair). 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 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 — Reno Lake (C) versus Villard 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.
Reno Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft.
Villard Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Reno Lake | Villard Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | C (Fair) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 6.9 ft | 4.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 33 µg/L | 33 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 3.8K acres | 544.39 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
Reno Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Villard Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 6.9 ft vs 4.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Reno Lake also leads with 1 species.