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LakeQuality

West Stump Lake vs Western Stump Lake

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

West Stump Lake has a higher water quality grade (D, Poor) than Western Stump Lake (F, Very Poor). Both are in Nelson County, North Dakota.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

West Stump Lake and Western Stump Lake are both in North Dakota — 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 are within a letter of each other on the rubric — West Stump Lake (D) versus Western Stump Lake (F). 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.

D

West Stump Lake

Nelson County, North Dakota

Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft.

F

Western Stump Lake

Nelson County, North Dakota

Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft.

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.

MetricWest Stump LakeWestern Stump Lake
Overall GradeD (Poor)F (Very Poor)
Water Clarity9.8 ft4.3 ft
PhosphorusNo data154.5 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)39.6 µg/L36.7 µg/L
Maximum Depth77.1 ft77.1 ft
Surface Area17.7K acres17.7K acres
Public AccessUnknownYes
Fish Species44
Trophic Stateeutrophiceutrophic

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

Verdict

West Stump Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade D versus Western Stump Lake's Grade F. Water clarity: 9.8 ft vs 4.3 ft. For fishing diversity, West Stump Lake also leads with 4 species.