Is Crooked Lake Polluted?
Yes — Crooked Lake in Missaukee County, Michigan is on the EPA's Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired-waters list (2024 assessment cycle). It is cited for Metals (other than mercury), Toxic organics. No cleanup plan (TMDL) has been completed yet. "Impaired" is a legal designation, separate from the lake's EPA condition class water-quality readings: it means at least one designated use (such as swimming, aquatic life, or fish consumption) does not meet state standards for the listed pollutant.
EPA 303(d) Listing
| On 303(d) impaired list | Yes |
| Cleanup plan (TMDL) | Not yet written |
| Assessment cycle | 2024 |
| EPA IR category | 5 |
| Uses not supported | Aquatic life |
| EPA names this lake in the listing | Yes |
| Location | Missaukee County, Michigan |
Pollutants Cited
- Metals (other than mercury) — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Toxic organics — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
Specific parameters in the EPA record: Copper, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Aquatic Ecosystems), Zinc.
What this means for using Crooked Lake
Crooked Lake's listing is driven by contaminants that build up in fish (Metals (other than mercury)), so the practical impact is on eating the fish, not on swimming. Follow the state fish-consumption advisory for Michigan. An impairment listing does not mean the lake is closed — most impaired lakes remain open for boating and swimming. It means a specific pollutant exceeds a standard for a specific use. See the full breakdown on the lake report. The official EPA assessment is available in the ATTAINS waterbody report.
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