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

Livingston County Lake Quality

Michigan, 100 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)

Livingston County has 100 monitored lakes, enough that within-county variation matters as much as the county average. Some are deep glacial basins, others are shallow agricultural-watershed waters, and the measurements reflect that mix. 4 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. On average, Livingston County lakes grade an A. That puts it near the top of the Michigan county ranking.

The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Ore Lake (A); the most-stressed is Tamarack Lake (B).

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Top-rated places to stay near Livingston County

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Quick Answers for Livingston County

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

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Ore Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.

Fishing in Livingston County

Livingston County Fishing Guide

Fish species and best-graded lakes in Livingston County

All Lakes in Livingston County

100 lakes · 4 graded, 96 not rated4 graded lakes · 96 not rated, hidden

Include not-rated lakes (96)

#	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Phosphorus	Algae	Trophic	Max Depth	Access
1	AOre LakeLivingston	A	9 ft	22 µg/L	2.8 µg/L	No recent samples	81 ft	✓ Public
2	ACordley LakeLivingston	A	No recent samples	No recent samples	1.4 µg/L	No recent samples	31 ft	Not recorded
3	BTamarack LakeLivingston	B	7 ft	20 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	34 ft	Not recorded
4	BWhitewood LakeLivingston	B	10 ft	20 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	50 ft	Not recorded
	NRGreen Oak LakeLivingston	NR	13 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	42 ft	Not recorded
	NREarl LakeLivingston	NR	6.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWhitewood LakesLivingston	NR	10 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	50 ft	Not recorded
	NRLake ChemungLivingston	NR	15 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	60 ft	✓ Public
	NRPortage LakeLivingston	NR	12.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRBass LakeLivingston	NR	9.5 ft	10 µg/L	2.2 µg/L	No recent samples	73 ft	Not recorded
	NRTamarack LakeLivingston	NR	7 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	34 ft	Not recorded
	NRHamburg LakeLivingston	NR	14 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRClark LakeLivingston	NR	12 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	40 ft	Not recorded
	NRWhitmore LakeLivingston	NR	9 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	69 ft	✓ Public
	NROneida LakeLivingston	NR	8 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	33 ft	Not recorded
	NRTriangle LakeLivingston	NR	9.5 ft	24.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBennett LakeLivingston	NR	9.5 ft	14 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	58 ft	Not recorded
	NRRyan LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	29 ft	Not recorded
	NRHoisington LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	37 ft	Not recorded
	NRRunyan LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	39 ft	Not recorded
	NRLouise LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	26 ft	Not recorded
	NRIndian Lake (south)Livingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	29 ft	Not recorded
	NRShannon LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	32 ft	Not recorded
	NRTyrone LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	20 ft	Not recorded
	NRWhalen LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	42 ft	Not recorded
	NRLake WaldenLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	39 ft	Not recorded
	NRHandy LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	25 ft	Not recorded
	NRRound LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	33 ft	Not recorded
	NRMaxfield LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	46 ft	Not recorded
	NRLong LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	55 ft	Not recorded
	NRThompson LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	55 ft	Not recorded
	NRSloan LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	25 ft	Not recorded
	NRSchool LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	27 ft	Not recorded
	NRBeach LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	22 ft	Not recorded
	NRWoodland LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	NREast Crooked LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	NRWest Crooked LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	19 ft	Not recorded
	NRClifford LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	33 ft	Not recorded
	NRCoon LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	34 ft	Not recorded
	NRPardee LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	33 ft	Not recorded
	NRCedar LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	33 ft	Not recorded
	NRWildwing LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	23 ft	Not recorded
	NRBrighton LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	20 ft	Not recorded
	NRFonda LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	39 ft	Not recorded
	NRPleasant LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	35 ft	Not recorded
	NRBriggs LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	39 ft	Not recorded
	NRIsland LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	43 ft	Not recorded
	NRAppleton LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	NRBishop LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	50 ft	Not recorded
	NRBently LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	34 ft	Not recorded
	NROre LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	81 ft	Not recorded
	NRWinans LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	56 ft	Not recorded
	NRPutnam LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	29 ft	Not recorded
	NRRush LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	21 ft	Not recorded
	NRZukey LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSandy Bottom LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	43 ft	Not recorded
	NRStrawberry LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	50 ft	Not recorded
	NRInchwagh LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	23 ft	Not recorded
	NRGallagher LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWoodburn LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWilliamsville LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	32 ft	Not recorded
	NRPatterson LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	27 ft	Not recorded
	NRHi-Land LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	10 ft	Not recorded
	NRWatson LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	32 ft	Not recorded
	NRHi-Land LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSheets LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRCranberry LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRChenango LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRTioga LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRGut LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBuck LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRFish LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLimekiln LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRTen Mile LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRFrog LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSilver Fox LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMallard LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMaltby LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLake of the PinesLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWoodruff LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRPickerel LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRDurfee LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBaetcke LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLime LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBishop LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRChilson ImpoundmentLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NREuler LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NROsborn LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMoraine LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWaw LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBitten LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBullard LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRNeff LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRHidden LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRStearns LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRFausett LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRShannon LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSullivan LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLamoreaux LakeLivingston	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMcConachie LakeLivingston	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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Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.

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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 Livingston 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.