Spider Lake West Basin
Spider Lake West Basin in Grand Traverse County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 445 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Area
- 445 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Grand Traverse County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Spider Lake West Basin is a 445-acre mesotrophic lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Grand Traverse County, Spider Lake West Basin ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Spider Lake West Basin water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus level: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Spider Lake West Basin
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spider Lake West Basin in Grand Traverse 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 Spider Lake West Basin
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 whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Spider Lake West Basin typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 152 field readings (2019–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spider Lake West Basin water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 445 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Spider Lake West Basin, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Spider LakePublic
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 Spider Lake West Basin
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.387 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.2 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Spider Lake West Basin 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 MI040601050506-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.06 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in Grand Traverse County
Nearby Lakes in Grand Traverse County
Frequently asked questions about Spider Lake West Basin
Where is Spider Lake West Basin?
- Spider Lake West Basin is a lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Spider Lake West Basin?
- Spider Lake West Basin in Grand Traverse County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 445 acres.
Is Spider Lake West Basin safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Spider Lake West Basin has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Spider Lake West Basin?
- Spider Lake West Basin typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 152 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Spider Lake West Basin?
- Fish species found in Spider Lake West Basin include Largemouth bass. Spider Lake West Basin is located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Spider Lake West Basin?
- Spider Lake West Basin has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spider Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Spider Lake West Basin across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Grand Traverse County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Grand Traverse Region area
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Spider Lake West Basin is about 31 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
70 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS70 samples · 2017–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory