Chippewa County Lake Quality
Michigan, 24 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Chippewa County's 24 graded lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for Michigan. The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. Chippewa County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is North Pond (C); the most-stressed is Community College Pond (F).
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Quick Answers for Chippewa County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for North Pond, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.
Fishing in Chippewa County
All Lakes in Chippewa County
7 lakes · 4 graded, 3 not rated4 graded lakes · 3 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CNorth PondChippewa | C | 1.3 ft | 39 µg/L | 13.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | CSpectacle LakeChippewa | C | No recent samples | 29 µg/L | 9.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 5 ft | Not recorded |
| 3 | DSouth PondChippewa | D | 1.4 ft | 38 µg/L | 25.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 4 | FCommunity College PondChippewa | F | 1.6 ft | 37.5 µg/L | 37.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRSugar Island LakeChippewa | NR | 8.2 ft | 23.7 µg/L | 3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRMcnearney LakeChippewa | NR | 18.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 25 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRMonocle LakeChippewa | NR | 16 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 55 ft | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
Lake Match
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Other Counties in Michigan
See how Chippewa County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.