Grand Traverse County Lake Quality
Michigan, 10 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)
Only 10 lakes in Grand Traverse County carry an active grade. The county-level summary is therefore representative of those specific lakes, not necessarily of every water body in the county. On average, Grand Traverse County lakes grade an A. That puts it near the top of the Michigan county ranking.
Many of the county's lakes are deep glacial basins — over 50 feet at their deepest point — which gives them thermal stratification and a buffer against summer warming. Rennie Lake (grade A) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Grand Traverse County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Rennie Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.
Fishing in Grand Traverse County
All Lakes in Grand Traverse County
10 lakes · 2 graded, 8 not rated2 graded lakes · 8 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ARennie LakeGrand Traverse | A | 14 ft | 8 µg/L | 3.5 µg/L | No recent samples | 27 ft | Not recorded |
| 2 | ASpider LakeGrand Traverse | A | 12 ft | 7.5 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRIsland LakeGrand Traverse | NR | 17 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRArbutus LakeGrand Traverse | NR | 17.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLong LakeGrand Traverse | NR | 24.3 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 88 ft | ✓ Public | |
| NRDuck LakeGrand Traverse | NR | 15 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 98 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRGreen LakeGrand Traverse | NR | 12.8 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 102 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRFife LakeGrand Traverse | NR | 13.7 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 55 ft | ✓ Public | |
| NRMickey LakeGrand Traverse | NR | 15 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBartlett LakeGrand Traverse | NR | No recent samples | 7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
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.
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Other Counties in Michigan
See how Grand Traverse 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.