Manistee County Lake Quality

Michigan, 12 lakes, average grade B (Good)

Only 12 lakes in Manistee County carry an active grade. The county-level summary is therefore representative of those specific lakes, not necessarily of every water body in the county. The county-wide average lands at B — solid water quality with most lakes carrying clear summer transparency and low-to-moderate phosphorus.

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 Manistee North Lake (A); the most-stressed is Star Lake (C).

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Quick Answers for Manistee County

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

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

Fishing in Manistee County

Manistee County Fishing Guide

Fish species and best-graded lakes in Manistee County

All Lakes in Manistee County

Rank	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Phosphorus
1	Manistee North Lake	A	-	17.2 µg/L
2	Tippy Pond by Dam	A	-	10.2 µg/L
3	Tippy Pond Pine Arm	A	-	8.7 µg/L
4	Tippy Pond Manistee Arm	A	-	12.7 µg/L
5	Manistee Lake South	A	-	18.8 µg/L
6	Bear Lake Central Basin North; Pleasanton Township	A	10.8 ft	-
7	Bear Lake East Basin; Pleasanton Township	B	11 ft	-
8	Bear Lake	B	11 ft	-
9	Portage Lake	B	10 ft	-
10	Portage Lake Central Basin; Onekama Township	B	13.8 ft	-
11	Star Lake; Norman Twp	B	8 ft	-
12	Star Lake	C	8 ft	-