Manistee County Lake Quality
Michigan, 15 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)
There are 15 graded lakes in Manistee County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. The county's average grade is A — among the cleanest in Michigan. 6 lakes pull an A on their own, and almost none fall into the D or F brackets.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Dorner Lake (A); the most-stressed is Dorner Lake (A).
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Quick Answers for Manistee County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Dorner Lake — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.
Fishing in Manistee County
All Lakes in Manistee County
15 lakes · 6 graded, 9 not rated6 graded lakes · 9 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ADorner LakeManistee | A | 8 ft | 7 µg/L | 4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 2 | ATimmerman LakeManistee | A | 5 ft | 13 µg/L | 6.9 µg/L | No recent samples | 31 ft | Not recorded |
| 3 | AStar LakeManistee | A | 8 ft | 9 µg/L | 4.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 4 | ATippy Pond Manistee ArmManistee | A | No recent samples | 12.3 µg/L | 0.9 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 5 | AManistee North LakeManistee | A | No recent samples | 16.1 µg/L | 0.9 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 6 | AManistee Lake SouthManistee | A | No recent samples | 18.2 µg/L | 0.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRBear LakeManistee | NR | 11 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 6 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRLake of the WoodsManistee | NR | 8.3 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRPine LakeManistee | NR | 17 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 50 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRArcadia LakeManistee | NR | 8.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRDorner LakeManistee | NR | 8 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTimmerman LakeManistee | NR | 5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 31 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRChief LakeManistee | NR | 20 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 9 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRStar LakeManistee | NR | 8 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRPortage LakeManistee | NR | 10 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 60 ft | ✓ 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 Manistee 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.