Wilson Lake vs Wind Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Wilson Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Wind Lake (C, Fair). Both are in Lake County, Minnesota.
Both Wilson Lake and Wind Lake 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. Wilson Lake (A) is materially cleaner than Wind Lake (C). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.
For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Wilson Lake is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?
Wilson Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 10.3 ft.
Wind Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Wilson Lake | Wind Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | C (Fair) |
| Water Clarity | 10.3 ft | 9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 650 acres | 1.0K acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Wilson Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Wind Lake's Grade C. Water clarity: 10.3 ft vs 9 ft. For fishing diversity, Wilson Lake also leads with 1 species.