Late afternoon sun over Slim Lake, scattering a bright path across wind-textured water

Barry County Lake Quality

Michigan, 80 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)

Barry County in Michigan carries 80 monitored lakes — one of the lake-richer counties in our dataset. Coverage that dense usually reflects active lake-association sampling alongside state-agency monitoring. 2 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county's average grade is A — among the cleanest in Michigan. 2 lakes pull an A on their own, and almost none fall into the D or F brackets.

Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Duncan Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.

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Top-rated places to stay near Barry County

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Quick Answers for Barry County

Cleanest lakes in Barry County →Cleanest lakes in Michigan →Safest swimming lakes in Michigan →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Duncan Lake — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.

Fishing in Barry County

Barry County Fishing Guide

Fish species and best-graded lakes in Barry County

All Lakes in Barry County

80 lakes · 2 graded, 78 not rated2 graded lakes · 78 not rated, hidden

Include not-rated lakes (78)

#	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Phosphorus	Algae	Trophic	Max Depth	Access
1	ADuncan LakeBarry	A	3.5 ft	36.5 µg/L	4.2 µg/L	No recent samples	55 ft	Not recorded
2	ALittle Long LakeBarry	A	13 ft	10 µg/L	2.2 µg/L	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	NRBristol LakeBarry	NR	8 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	40 ft	✓ Public
	NRCrooked LakeBarry	NR	12 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRPayne LakeBarry	NR	10.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	43 ft	✓ Public
	NRCobb LakeBarry	NR	14.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWall LakeBarry	NR	10 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	36 ft	Not recorded
	NRBarlow LakeBarry	NR	11 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	60 ft	✓ Public
	NRJordan LakeBarry	NR	7.5 ft	16 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRLong LakeBarry	NR	11 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRCarter LakeBarry	NR	4 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	20 ft	✓ Public
	NRSaddlebag LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	44 ft	Not recorded
	NRMiddle LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	NRLeach LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	40 ft	✓ Public
	NRAlgonquin LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	44 ft	Not recorded
	NRBaker LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	NRThornapple LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	NRGun LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	60 ft	✓ Public
	NRHall LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	15 ft	Not recorded
	NRPodunk LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	43 ft	Not recorded
	NRPine LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	52 ft	Not recorded
	NRHead LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	13 ft	Not recorded
	NRStewart LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	38 ft	Not recorded
	NRFish LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	50 ft	Not recorded
	NRGuernsey LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	44 ft	Not recorded
	NRNumber Twenty-one LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	42 ft	Not recorded
	NRCloverdale LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	46 ft	Not recorded
	NRWilkinson LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	46 ft	Not recorded
	NRBig Cedar LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	45 ft	Not recorded
	NRClear LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	15 ft	✓ Public
	NRShelp LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	53 ft	Not recorded
	NRPine LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	34 ft	Not recorded
	NRFair LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	39 ft	Not recorded
	NRPleasant LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	34 ft	Not recorded
	NRCrooked Lake, LowerBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	10 ft	Not recorded
	NRMud LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	25 ft	Not recorded
	NRGilkey LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	108 ft	Not recorded
	NRMill LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	43 ft	Not recorded
	NRFine LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	48 ft	✓ Public
	NRLittle Long LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	Not recorded
	NRSilver LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSugarbush LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLower LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRCarr LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRHigh Hill LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWest LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRCassidy LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRTaylor LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMixer LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMiddle LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRTillotson LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBassett LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRChief Noonday LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRLong LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NROtis LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBawker LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRShallow LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWilkinson LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRHolcomb LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRCloverdale LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLoomis LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWiley LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRPine LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWarner LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRIndian LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWest Gilkey LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBullhead LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRGlasby LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBulkey LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSchool PondBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRDake LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLittle Cedar LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLarabee LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLittle Pine LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMud LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLong LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRCulver LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMetcalf LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMiller LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLoon LakeBarry	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded

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.

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Other Counties in Michigan

Dickinson County

43 lakes · Avg grade A

Clare County

47 lakes · Avg grade A

Ogemaw County

50 lakes · Avg grade A

Cheboygan County

31 lakes · Avg grade A

Roscommon County

26 lakes · Avg grade A

Gladwin County

29 lakes · Avg grade A

See how Barry County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.