Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township
Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township in St. Joseph County, Michigan has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 497.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 68°F
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 497 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township →
Next lake in St. Joseph County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township is a 497-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in St. Joseph County, Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 21 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 21 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township in St. Joseph 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township
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
Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2010–2017) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 497 acres |
Recreation & Access
- Palmer LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.205 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.17 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.03 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon 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 MI040500010404-03 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.51 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 8 lakes in St. Joseph County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in St. Joseph County
Frequently asked questions about Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township
Where is Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township?
- Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township is a lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township?
- Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township in St. Joseph County, Michigan has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 497.3 acres.
Is Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 21 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township?
- Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2017). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township?
- Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 497.3 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township?
- Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Palmer Lake.
Explore Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in St. Joseph County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Michigan
Eutrophic Lakes in Michigan
Compare Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
37 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS37 samples · 2022–2023
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