Shields Lake vs Union Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Union Lake has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Shields Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Rice County, Minnesota.
F
Shields Lake
Rice County, Minnesota
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility.
C
Union Lake
Rice County, Minnesota
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Shields Lake | Union Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | F (Very Poor) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 2.5 ft | 3 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 1.4 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 940.49 acres | 396.74 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 17 | 0 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Union Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Shields Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 3 ft vs 2.5 ft. For more fish-species variety, Shields Lake edges ahead with 17 documented species.