Branch County Lake Quality
Michigan, 4 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)
Branch County has 4 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. On average, Branch County lakes grade an A. That puts it near the top of the Michigan county ranking.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Rose Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Branch County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Rose Lake — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.
Fishing in Branch County
All Lakes in Branch County
4 lakes · 1 graded, 3 not rated1 graded lake · 3 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ARose LakeBranch | A | 10 ft | 10.5 µg/L | 3.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRLake of the WoodsBranch | NR | 10 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 70 ft | ✓ Public | |
| NRUnion LakeBranch | NR | 3.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRLehr LakeBranch | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | 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.
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in Michigan
See how Branch 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.