Higgins Lake
Higgins Lake in Roscommon County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 34 ft visibility. Surface area: 10187.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 34 ft
- Area
- 10,187 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Higgins Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 130 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Higgins 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 Higgins 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.
Higgins Lake is a 10,187-acre lake in Roscommon County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Lake herring, Lake whitefish, and Mottled sculpin.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Higgins Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Higgins Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 34 ft down. Trophic State Index: 26.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 34 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 26 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Higgins Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Higgins Lake in Roscommon 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 Higgins Lake
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Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM from gauge 442805084411001 (Higgins Lake Near Roscommon, MI). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 10,187 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Higgins Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Higgins Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.268 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Higgins Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601020101-02 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Higgins Lake
Higgins Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Roscommon County
Frequently asked questions about Higgins Lake
Where is Higgins Lake?
- Higgins Lake is a lake in Roscommon 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 Higgins Lake?
- Higgins Lake in Roscommon County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 34 ft visibility. Surface area: 10187.1 acres.
Is Higgins Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Higgins Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What fish are in Higgins Lake?
- Fish species found in Higgins Lake include Lake herring, Lake whitefish, Mottled sculpin. Higgins Lake is located in Roscommon County, Michigan.
What is the water level at Higgins Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Higgins Lake is 1153.9 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM at gauge 442805084411001. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Explore Higgins Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
76 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS76 samples · 2016–2021
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