Star Lake vs West Mcdonald Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Star Lake and West Mcdonald Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
A
Star Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16.7 ft down.
A
West Mcdonald Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Crystal clear, you can see 16.2 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Star Lake | West Mcdonald Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 16.7 ft | 16.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 94 ft | 62 ft |
| Surface Area | 4.5K acres | 596.86 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 17 | 15 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Star Lake: 16.7 ft, West Mcdonald Lake: 16.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Star Lake supports more documented fish species.