Burt Lake
Burt Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 17393 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.5 ft
- Max depth
- 73 ft
- Area
- 17,393 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cheboygan County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Burt Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 73 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Burt Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Burt Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Burt Lake is a 17,393-acre lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake supports 33 documented fish species including Blackchin shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Burt Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Burt Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Burt Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Burt Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Burt Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Burt Lake → · more Michigan lake trips
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 73 ft |
| Surface Area | 17,393 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Burt Lake Maple BayPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Burt Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Burt Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040700040209-06 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Burt Lake
Burt Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cheboygan County
Frequently asked questions about Burt Lake
Where is Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake is a lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 17393 acres.
Is Burt Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Burt Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake has a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake covers 17393 acres.
What fish are in Burt Lake?
- Fish species found in Burt Lake include Blackchin shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Bowfin, Brown bullhead, Brown trout, Central mudminnow, Common shiner, Creek chub, Emerald shiner, Green sunfish, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake sturgeon, Largemouth bass, Longnose gar, Mimic shiner, Mottled sculpin, Northern logperch, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Silver lamprey, Silver redhorse, Smallmouth bass, Spottail shiner, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Burt Lake is located in Cheboygan County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Burt Lake Maple Bay. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Burt Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Cheboygan County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS13 samples · 2022
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory