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LakeQuality

Shaokotan Lake vs Split Rock Reservoir

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Shaokotan Lake has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than Split Rock Reservoir (F, Very Poor). Both are in Minnesota.

Both Shaokotan Lake and Split Rock Reservoir 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. The grades are close: Shaokotan Lake (D) and Split Rock Reservoir (F) are within one letter of each other on the LakeGrade rubric. The per-parameter sub-grades below will show where the small differences actually live.

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.

D

Shaokotan Lake

Lincoln County, Minnesota

Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility.

F

Split Rock Reservoir

Pipestone County, Minnesota

Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricShaokotan LakeSplit Rock Reservoir
Overall GradeD (Poor)F (Very Poor)
Water Clarity3 ft1.3 ft
Phosphorus51.5 µg/L241 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No dataNo data
Maximum Depth--
Surface Area994 acres80 acres
Public AccessUnknownUnknown
Fish Species11
Trophic Stateeutrophichypereutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Shaokotan Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus Split Rock Reservoir's Grade F. Water clarity: 3 ft vs 1.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Shaokotan Lake also leads with 1 species.