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LakeQuality

Oxbow Lake vs Tull Lake Central Basin; White Lake Township

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Oxbow Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Tull Lake Central Basin; White Lake Township (D, Poor). Both are in Oakland County, Wisconsin.

Oxbow Lake and Tull Lake Central Basin; White Lake Township are both in Michigan — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. The grades are meaningfully apart: Oxbow Lake grades a A while Tull Lake Central Basin; White Lake Township grades a D. That two-letter spread reflects real underlying differences — different watershed inputs, different depth profiles, or different monitoring rigor.

For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Oxbow Lake is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?

A

Oxbow Lake

Oakland County, Wisconsin

Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down.

Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricOxbow LakeTull Lake Central Basin; White Lake Township
Overall GradeA (Excellent)D (Poor)
Water Clarity15 ft4.5 ft
PhosphorusNo dataNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No dataNo data
Maximum Depth--
Surface Area290 acres81 acres
Public AccessUnknownUnknown
Fish Species11
Trophic Stateoligotrophiceutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Oxbow Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Tull Lake Central Basin; White Lake Township's Grade D. Water clarity: 15 ft vs 4.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Oxbow Lake also leads with 1 species.