Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township
Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 531.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Max depth
- 54 ft
- Area
- 531 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township is a 531-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Iron County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 54 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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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
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Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township in Iron 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 54 ft |
| Surface Area | 531 acres |
Fishing Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.421 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.75 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township 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 MI040301060307-06 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.74 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 21 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township
Where is Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township?
- Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township is a lake in Iron County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township?
- Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 531.1 acres.
Is Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township?
- Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township has a maximum depth of 54 feet. The lake covers 531.1 acres.
Explore Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township across LakeQuality
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Dickinson County · 21.5 ft
Gogebic County · 18 ft
Dickinson County · 14 ft
Dickinson County · 14.5 ft
Dickinson County · 13.5 ft
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Where this data comes from
92 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_MICORPS92 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