Swan Lake vs Ten Mile Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Swan Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Ten Mile Lake. Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Swan Lake and Ten Mile Lake are both in Minnesota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Swan Lake versus Ten Mile 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.
Swan Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 12.1 ft.
Ten Mile Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 13.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Swan Lake | Ten Mile Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 12.1 ft | 13.6 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L Better | 24 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L Better | 5.2 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 44 ft | 51 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 749 acres | 1,428 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 | 19 Better |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
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
Swan Lake and Ten Mile Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Swan Lake: 12.1 ft, Ten Mile Lake: 13.6 ft) and what you want from the lake. Swan Lake has fewer fish species than Ten Mile Lake.
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Where to stay near Swan Lake and Ten Mile Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Swan Lake and Ten Mile 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Swan Lake and Ten Mile Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.