Muskegon County Lake Quality
Michigan, 12 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Muskegon County has 12 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. The county average is C — the middle of the rubric, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
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. Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Muskegon County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.
Fishing in Muskegon County
All Lakes in Muskegon County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township | A | 10.5 ft | - |
| 2 | Duck Lake | B | 10.5 ft | - |
| 3 | Owasippe Lake; Central Basin; Whitehall Township | B | 11 ft | - |
| 4 | Owasippe Lake | B | 11 ft | - |
| 5 | Muskegon Lake | B | 10.8 ft | - |
| 6 | White Lake Middle Basin; Fruitland Township | B | 7 ft | - |
| 7 | White Lake | C | 6.8 ft | - |
| 8 | Duck Lake | C | 8.5 ft | - |
| 9 | Fox Lake Central Basin; Dalton Township | D | 1 ft | - |
| 10 | Fox Lake | F | 1 ft | - |
Other Counties in Michigan
See how Muskegon 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 Muskegon County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.