Emmet County Lake Quality
Michigan, 10 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)
Emmet County has 10 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. On average, Emmet County lakes grade an A. That puts it near the top of the Michigan county ranking.
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. Round Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Emmet County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Round Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.
Fishing in Emmet County
All Lakes in Emmet County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Round Lake | A | - | 4.6 µg/L |
| 2 | Little Traverse Bay Lake | A | - | 5.1 µg/L |
| 3 | Larks Lake | A | - | 6.6 µg/L |
| 4 | Walloon Lake | A | - | 3.4 µg/L |
| 5 | Crooked Lake | A | - | 9 µg/L |
| 6 | Spring Lake | A | - | 3.2 µg/L |
| 7 | Wycamp Lake | A | - | 6.2 µg/L |
| 8 | Oneal Lake | A | - | 4.2 µg/L |
| 9 | Pickerel Lake | C | 9.5 ft | - |
| 10 | Lake Paradise | C | 8 ft | - |
Other Counties in Michigan
See how Emmet County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 15 states.
Where to stay near Emmet County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.