Cleanest Lakes in Michigan
Crystal Lake in Montcalm County leads the rankings with a water quality grade of A and 10 ft of clarity. Below are the top 50 cleanest monitored lakes in Michigan, ranked by EPA water quality score.
Ranked List
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crystal Lake | Montcalm | A | 10 ft | 9 µg/L | 2.2 µg/L |
| 2 | Ore Lake | Livingston | A | 9 ft | 22 µg/L | 2.8 µg/L |
| 3 | South Bar Lake | Leelanau | A | 8.5 ft | 14 µg/L | 3.8 µg/L |
| 4 | Eagle Lake | Kalkaska | A | 18 ft | 10 µg/L | 1.3 µg/L |
| 5 | Ellen Lake | Iron | A | 17.3 ft | 8 µg/L | 1.8 µg/L |
| 6 | Brooks Lake | Leelanau | A | 9.5 ft | 10 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L |
| 7 | Indian Lake | Kalamazoo | A | 9.5 ft | 10 µg/L | 2.8 µg/L |
| 8 | Round Lake | Mecosta | A | 9 ft | 17 µg/L | 6.8 µg/L |
| 9 | Mecosta Lake | Mecosta | A | 9.5 ft | 10 µg/L | 3.3 µg/L |
| 10 | Perch Lake | Iron | A | 6 ft | 24 µg/L | 4.8 µg/L |
| 11 | Rennie Lake | Grand Traverse | A | 14 ft | 8 µg/L | 3.5 µg/L |
| 12 | Emerald Lake | Kent | A | 11.5 ft | 14 µg/L | 4.9 µg/L |
| 13 | Lancelot Lake | Gladwin | A | 9 ft | 15 µg/L | 3.5 µg/L |
| 14 | Lake George | Clare | A | 9.5 ft | 12 µg/L | 3.8 µg/L |
| 15 | Barton Lake | Kalamazoo | A | 8 ft | 13 µg/L | 6.6 µg/L |
| 16 | Lancer Lake Southeast | Gladwin | A | 12 ft | 18 µg/L | 1.5 µg/L |
| 17 | Christiana Lake | Cass | A | 8 ft | 21 µg/L | 6.6 µg/L |
| 18 | Big Pine Island Lake | Kent | A | 9.3 ft | 18.5 µg/L | 3.5 µg/L |
| 19 | Horsehead Lake | Mecosta | A | 9 ft | 14 µg/L | 2.5 µg/L |
| 20 | Duck Lake | Muskegon | A | 11 ft | 9 µg/L | 3.9 µg/L |
| 21 | Big Blue Lake | Kalkaska | A | 24 ft | 10 µg/L | 1.3 µg/L |
| 22 | Moon Lake | Gogebic | A | 18 ft | 10 µg/L | 2 µg/L |
| 23 | Murray Lake | Kent | A | 9 ft | 12 µg/L | 2.9 µg/L |
| 24 | Bills Lake | Newaygo | A | 13 ft | 8 µg/L | 1.9 µg/L |
| 25 | North Lake | Washtenaw | A | 12.5 ft | 13 µg/L | 3.7 µg/L |
| 26 | Big Star Lake | Lake | A | 9 ft | 9 µg/L | 4 µg/L |
| 27 | Big Maggie Lake | Iron | A | 11.5 ft | 10 µg/L | 1.4 µg/L |
| 28 | Round Lake | Lenawee | A | 12.3 ft | 8 µg/L | 2 µg/L |
| 29 | Big Twin Lake | Kalkaska | A | 23 ft | 8 µg/L | 1.6 µg/L |
| 30 | Devils Lake | Lenawee | A | 11 ft | 9 µg/L | 2.2 µg/L |
| 31 | Chain Lakes | Iosco | A | 12.5 ft | 10.5 µg/L | 1.4 µg/L |
| 32 | Spider Lake | Grand Traverse | A | 12 ft | 7.5 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L |
| 33 | Little Long Lake | Barry | A | 13 ft | 10 µg/L | 2.2 µg/L |
| 34 | Sunset Lake | Iron | A | 13.5 ft | 8.5 µg/L | 1.9 µg/L |
| 35 | Fisher Lake | Leelanau | A | - | 10 µg/L | 1 µg/L |
| 36 | Coldwater Lake | Isabella | A | 11 ft | 16 µg/L | 1 µg/L |
| 37 | Whitefish Lake | Montcalm | A | 13.5 ft | 14.5 µg/L | 3.3 µg/L |
| 38 | Big Bass Lake | Lake | A | 14.5 ft | 7.5 µg/L | 5.3 µg/L |
| 39 | Rose Lake | Branch | A | 10 ft | 10.5 µg/L | 3.3 µg/L |
| 40 | Little Bass Lake | Lake | A | 18.3 ft | 7 µg/L | 3.1 µg/L |
| 41 | Barnes Lake | Lapeer | A | 14.5 ft | 15 µg/L | 2.1 µg/L |
| 42 | Crystal Lake | Hillsdale | A | 9.5 ft | 11 µg/L | 4 µg/L |
| 43 | Perch Lake | Otsego | A | 11.3 ft | 8.5 µg/L | 3.3 µg/L |
| 44 | Twin Lakes | Oakland | A | 5 ft | 28 µg/L | 6 µg/L |
| 45 | Templene Lake | St. Joseph | A | 6 ft | 18 µg/L | 5.2 µg/L |
| 46 | Au Sable Lake | Ogemaw | A | 10.5 ft | 10 µg/L | 3.3 µg/L |
| 47 | Island Lake | Gladwin | A | 16.5 ft | 7.5 µg/L | 2.4 µg/L |
| 48 | Tippy Pond Manistee Arm | Manistee | A | - | 12.3 µg/L | 0.9 µg/L |
| 49 | Manistee North Lake | Manistee | A | - | 16.1 µg/L | 0.9 µg/L |
| 50 | Manistee Lake South | Manistee | A | - | 18.2 µg/L | 0.5 µg/L |
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