Ohio vs Pennsylvania, Lake Water Quality Comparison
A data-driven comparison of lake water quality between Ohio and Pennsylvania, built from EPA Water Quality Portal monitoring data.
| Ohio | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Lakes | 52 | 4 |
| Average Grade | D | F |
| Average Score | 1 | 0 |
| Grade A Lakes | 2 | 0 |
| Grade B Lakes | 2 | 0 |
| Grade C Lakes | 7 | 0 |
| Grade D Lakes | 10 | 0 |
| Grade F Lakes | 17 | 0 |
| Oligotrophic (Cleanest) | 0 | 0 |
| Eutrophic (High Nutrient) | 12 | 0 |
| Lakes with Invasives | 1 | 0 |
| Improving Trend | 3 | 1 |
| Declining Trend | 3 | 0 |
Analysis
Ohio has 52 graded lakes averaging a D (score 1), while Pennsylvania has 4 graded lakes averaging a F (score 0). On average water quality, Ohio comes out ahead.Ohio counts 2 Grade A lakes and 0 oligotrophic (clearest-class) lakes, against 0 and 0 for Pennsylvania.
Long-term monitoring shows 3 improving and 3 declining lakes in Ohio, versus 1 improving and 0 declining in Pennsylvania. Dataset coverage varies by state: Ohio has maximum-depth data for 0 lakes and documented fish species on 0, compared with 0 and 0 for Pennsylvania. Where a figure is zero, that state dataset has not yet been ingested — grades there rest on EPA clarity and nutrient measurements alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ohio or Pennsylvania have cleaner lakes?
Ohio has an average lake grade of D (score 1) while Pennsylvania averages F (score 0). Ohio has the better average water quality. Grades are computed from EPA Water Quality Portal clarity and nutrient measurements.
Which state has more graded lakes?
Ohio has 52 graded lakes while Pennsylvania has 4. Counts reflect lakes with enough EPA Water Quality Portal monitoring data to grade, not the total number of lakes in each state.