Impaired Lakes in Michigan
277 of 628 graded Michigan lakes (44%) are officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the most recent EPA ATTAINS reporting cycle. 241 have an approved TMDL restoration plan.
Top Causes of Impairment in Michigan
Reading the Michigan impairment landscape
Michigan reports 277 impaired lakes — 44% of the state's 628 tracked water bodies. That share is high enough to make impairment a meaningful planning concern: roughly one in four lakes carries at least one §303(d) listing for a pollutant exceeding standards. The list below isn't a niche concern — it's a significant chunk of the state's surface-water inventory.
Mercury leads the impairment causes in Michigan — a contaminant category that is most relevant for fish consumption rather than for swimming or boating. Mercury and PCB impairments typically come from atmospheric deposition or legacy industrial discharge; they bioaccumulate up the food chain, so larger and longer-lived fish carry the highest tissue concentrations. Check the state's fish-consumption advisory before keeping a catch from these waters.
Impaired-waters listings come from the state environmental agency's §303(d) submission to EPA, refreshed on a roughly 2-year cycle. A listed lake stays on the list until either a TMDL is established and the cleanup completes, or subsequent monitoring shows the pollutant concentrations no longer exceed water-quality standards. The list below reflects the most recent available Michigan submission to the EPA Assessment, Total Maximum Daily Load Tracking and Implementation System (ATTAINS) dataset.
All 277 EPA-Listed Impaired Lakes in Michigan
| Lake | County | Grade | Causes | TMDL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Lake | Leelanau | A | Mercury, Pesticides, PCBs | ✓ |
| Sanford Lake | Benzie | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Second Fortune Lake; Crystal Falls Township | Iron | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township | Iron | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Second Lake | Iron | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| First Lake | Iron | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Little Bass Lake | Lake | A | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Chicagon Lake | Iron | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Bills Lake | Newaygo | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Arbutus Lake | Grand Traverse | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township | Montcalm | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Whitefish Lake | Montcalm | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Arnold Lake | Clare | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Arbutus Lake North Basin | Grand Traverse | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Bills Lake Central Basin | Newaygo | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Arbutus Lake South Central Basin | Grand Traverse | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake Leelanau; North Basin | Leelanau | A | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Higgins Lake | Roscommon | A | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Square Lake Central Basin; Bloomfield Township | Oakland | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Square Lake | Oakland | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Round Lake | Emmet | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Lake Margrethe | Crawford | A | Mercury, PFAS | ✓ |
| Avery Lake | Montmorency | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Crystal Lake | Benzie | A | Dioxins, Mercury, Pesticides +1 more | ✓ |
| Little Bass Lake | Lake | A | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township | Alpena | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Margrethe Lake | Crawford | A | Mercury, PFAS | ✓ |
| Beaver Lake | Alpena | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Chicagon Lake Central Basin; Stambaugh Township | Iron | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Arbutus Lake North Central Basin | Grand Traverse | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Arbutus Lake Central Basin | Grand Traverse | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake View; Almira Twp | Benzie | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Oxbow Lake | Oakland | A | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Pesticides, PCBs | ✓ |
| Shag Lake | Marquette | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Burt Lake | Cheboygan | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Thumb Lake | Charlevoix | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Torch Lake | Antrim | A | Dioxins, Mercury, Pesticides +1 more | ✓ |
| Lake View | Benzie | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Lake Charlevoix | Charlevoix | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Hubbard Lake Central Basin | Alcona | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Ransom Lake | Benzie | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Hubbard Lake | Alcona | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Indian Lake Central Basin; Stambaugh Township | Iron | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Lake Sapphire | Missaukee | A | Metals (other than mercury), Toxic organics | — |
| Manistee North Lake | Manistee | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Manistee Lake South | Manistee | A | Mercury, Pathogens (E. coli, fecal), PCBs | ✓ |
| Walloon Lake | Emmet | A | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Crooked Lake | Emmet | A | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Spring Lake | Emmet | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Elk Lake | Antrim | A | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Lake Charlevoix | Charlevoix | A | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Cordley Lake Central Basin; Hamburg Township | Livingston | A | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Chippewa Lake Northeast Basin; Chippewa Township | Mecosta | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Loon Lake | Benzie | A | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Silver Lake | Washtenaw | A | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township | Livingston | A | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Siskiwit Lake | Keweenaw | A | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Horsehead Lake Northwest Basin; Martiny Township | Mecosta | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Spider Lake West Basin | Grand Traverse | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Rose Lake North Basin; Ovid Township | Branch | A | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township | Muskegon | A | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Coldwater Lake Southeast Basin; Nottawa Township | Isabella | A | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Sand Lake Central Basin; Cambridge Township | Lenawee | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Devils Lake Central Basin North | Lenawee | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Round Lake Central Basin | Lenawee | A | Mercury | ✓ |
| Upper Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp | Benzie | A | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Loon Lake; Lake Twp | Benzie | A | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Lake Lansing Northwest Basin; Meridian Township | Ingham | A | PFAS | — |
| Portage Lake | Livingston | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Long Lake | Cass | B | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Bass Lake | Lake | B | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Byram Lake West Central Basin; Fenton Township | Genesee | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Clam Lake | Antrim | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake Ann | Benzie | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Gull Lake | Kalamazoo | B | Mercury, PFAS, PCBs | ✓ |
| Chippewa Lake | Mecosta | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Silver Lake | Washtenaw | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Pickerel Lake | Newaygo | B | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Big Bass Lake North Basin; Elk Township | Lake | B | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Clark Lake Central Basin; Brighton Township | Livingston | B | PCBs | ✓ |
| Long Lake | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Byram Lake | Genesee | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Long Lake Central Basin | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Bass Lake | Montcalm | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Portage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township | Washtenaw | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Long Lake South Central Basin | Cass | B | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Clark Lake | Livingston | B | PCBs | ✓ |
| Sunset Lake | Iron | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Grand Sable Lake | Alger | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Duck Lake | Muskegon | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Lake Orion | Oakland | B | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) +2 more | — |
| Sylvan Lake | Newaygo | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Little Portage Lake Northeast Basin; Dexter Township | Washtenaw | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Spider Lake | Grand Traverse | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Poor Lake | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Hamlin Lake | Mason | B | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Park Lake | Clinton | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Louis Lake East Central Basin; Waucedah Township | Dickinson | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Fishhawk Lake East Basin; Watersmeet Township | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Maceday Lake | Oakland | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Silver Lake Central Basin | Genesee | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Base Line Lake | Washtenaw | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS | ✓ |
| Newcomb Lake | Montcalm | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Long Lake | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lotus Lake | Oakland | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Louise Lake | Dickinson | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Sand Lake | Lenawee | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Middle Straits Lake | Oakland | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Newcomb Lake | Montcalm | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Long Lake West Basin | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Thousand Island Lake | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake of the Woods | Branch | B | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Silver Lake | Genesee | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Sylvan Lake West Central Basin; Brooks Township | Newaygo | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Hamilton Lake Central Basin | Dickinson | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Round Lake | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Coldwater Lake | Isabella | B | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Lakeville Lake Central Basin | Oakland | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Whitewood Lake | Livingston | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Oneida Lake East Central Basin | Livingston | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Cedar Is. Lake East Central Basin,White Lake Township | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Base Line Lake Northeast Basin; Hamburg Township | Livingston | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS | ✓ |
| Cedar Island Lake | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Mary Lake Central Basin Southeast; Waucedah Township | Dickinson | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Horsehead Lake | Mecosta | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Fremont Lake | Newaygo | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO), PCBs | ✓ |
| Little Portage Lake | Washtenaw | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Mary Lake | Dickinson | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Whitewood Lakes | Livingston | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Middle Straits Lake Central Basin; West Bloomfield Township | Oakland | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Otter Lake North Basin; Waterford Township | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Cass Lake | Oakland | B | Mercury, PFAS, PCBs | ✓ |
| Otter Lake | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Arbutus Lake South Basin | Grand Traverse | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Record Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet Township | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Emerald Lake | Newaygo | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lindsley Lake | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Hamilton Lake | Dickinson | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Muskegon Lake | Muskegon | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Devils Lake | Lenawee | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Upper Long Lake Northwest Basin; Bloomfield Township | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Lily Lake North Central Basin; Greenwood Township | Clare | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Walloon Lake | Charlevoix | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Stager Lake Central Basin | Iron | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Budd Lake South Basinorth; Hayes Township | Clare | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Deer Lake | Charlevoix | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Bass Lake | Livingston | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Loon Lake | Benzie | B | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Portage Lake | Manistee | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Mullett Lake | Cheboygan | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lower Woodcock Lake | Benzie | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Lower Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp | Benzie | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Bass Lake North Basin; Forsyth Township | Marquette | B | Habitat alterations | — |
| Stager Lake | Iron | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Elk Lake | Antrim | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Portage Lake Central Basin; Onekama Township | Manistee | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Shag Lake Northeast Basin | Marquette | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Sanford Lake | Benzie | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Douglas Lake | Cheboygan | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Bass Lake | Marquette | B | Habitat alterations | — |
| Upper Woodcock Lake | Benzie | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Budd Lake | Clare | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Round Lake | Lenawee | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Wormer Lake | Oakland | B | Pesticides, PCBs | ✓ |
| Long Lake | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Mohawk Lake | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Maston Lake Northeast Basin; Spencer Township | Kent | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Woodhull Lake Central Basin; Waterford Township | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Woodhull Lake | Oakland | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Eagle Lake West Central Basin; Ontwa Township | Cass | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Brooks Lake | Leelanau | B | Mercury, Pesticides, PCBs | ✓ |
| White Lake Middle Basin; Fruitland Township | Muskegon | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Barton Lake West Basin; Schoolcraft Township | Kalamazoo | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Park Lake North Central Basin; Bath Township | Clinton | B | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet Township | Gogebic | B | Mercury | ✓ |
| Little Platte Lake North Basin | Benzie | B | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Christiana Lake Central Basin; Ontwa Township | Cass | B | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Brooks Lake | Leelanau | C | Mercury, Pesticides, PCBs | ✓ |
| White Lake | Muskegon | C | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Whitmore Lake | Livingston | C | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Middle Lake | Lapeer | C | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township | Newaygo | C | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Tamarack Lake | Livingston | C | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Cedar Lake | Alcona | C | PFAS | — |
| Lakeville Lake | Oakland | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Great Bear Lake | Van Buren | C | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) | ✓ |
| Duck Lake | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Fishhawk Lake | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Dollar Lake | Oakland | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Barton Lake | Kalamazoo | C | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Tamarack Lake North Basin; Hamburg Township | Livingston | C | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Morley Lake | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Aginaw Lake | Shiawassee | C | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Oneida Lake | Livingston | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Big African Lake | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Record Lake | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Sylvan Lake; Sylvan Lake Township | Oakland | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Cranberry Lake | Oakland | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Big Affrica Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet Township | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake Independence | Marquette | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Sylvan Lake | Oakland | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Cable Lake | Iron | C | Mercury, PFAS | ✓ |
| Perch Lake Central Basin; Bates Township | Iron | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Cable Lake Central Basin | Iron | C | Mercury, PFAS | ✓ |
| Klinger Lake | St. Joseph | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Stony Lake West Basin North | Oceana | C | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Devils Head Lake | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Cisco Lake Central Basin; Watersmeet Township | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lily Lake | Clare | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake Victoria | Clinton | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Christiana Lake | Cass | C | Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Baldwin Lake Northwest Basin | Cass | C | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Pleasant Lake | Oakland | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Pickerel Lake | Emmet | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake Mitchell | Wexford | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Victoria Lake North of Central Island; Victor Township | Clinton | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Pleasant Lake; West Bloomfield Township | Oakland | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake Gogebic | Gogebic | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Lake Paradise | Emmet | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Juno Lake Central Basin; Mason Township | Cass | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Baldwins Lake | Cass | C | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Lake Bellaire | Antrim | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Bass Lake | Livingston | C | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Upper Long Lake | Oakland | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Lake Gogebic; South Deep Basin; Marenisco Township | Gogebic | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Langford Lake; Deepest Basin; Watersmeet Township | Gogebic | C | Mercury | — |
| Bennett Lake; Deep Basin; Deerfield Township | Livingston | C | Mercury, PFAS | ✓ |
| Lobdell Lake West Basin; Argentine Township | Genesee | C | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Maston Lake | Kent | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Van Etten Lake North Central Basin; Oscoda Township | Iosco | C | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Earl Lake Central Basin | Livingston | C | PFAS, PCBs, Salinity / chlorides | ✓ |
| Rose Lake | Shiawassee | C | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Flint Park Lake | Genesee | C | PFAS | — |
| Lake Ovid North Basin; Ovid Township | Clinton | C | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Round Lake | Shiawassee | C | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Thread Lake Central Basin | Genesee | C | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), PCBs | ✓ |
| Crockery Lake Southwest Basin; Chester Township | Ottawa | C | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Moore Lake | Allegan | C | Mercury | ✓ |
| Kimball Lake | Newaygo | D | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Van Etten Lake | Iosco | D | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Eagle Lake | Cass | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Earl Lake | Livingston | D | PFAS, PCBs, Salinity / chlorides | ✓ |
| Rose Lake | Shiawassee | D | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Crockery Lake | Ottawa | D | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Great Bear Lake North Basin; Bloomingdale Township | Van Buren | D | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) | ✓ |
| Lake Ovid | Clinton | D | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) | ✓ |
| Little Platte Lake | Benzie | D | Mercury, PCBs | ✓ |
| Union Lake | Branch | D | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), PCBs | ✓ |
| Perch Lake | Iron | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Round Lake | Shiawassee | D | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Clearwater Lake | Gogebic | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Flint Park Lake | Genesee | D | PFAS | — |
| Little African Lake | Gogebic | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Stony Lake | Oceana | D | Oxygen depletion (low DO) | — |
| Little Africa Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet Township | Gogebic | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Juno Lake | Cass | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Carter Lake | Barry | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Cisco Lake | Gogebic | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Carter Lake Northwest Basin | Barry | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Painter Lake | Cass | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Tull Lake Central Basin; White Lake Township | Oakland | D | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Pesticides, PCBs | ✓ |
| Little Paw Paw Lake | Berrien | D | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) +1 more | ✓ |
| Lake Diane South Basin; Amboy Township | Hillsdale | D | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) | — |
| Fox Lake Central Basin; Dalton Township | Muskegon | D | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| Palmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township | St. Joseph | D | Mercury | ✓ |
| Crockery Lake Northeast Basin; Chester Township | Ottawa | F | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) | ✓ |
| Little Paw Paw Lake West Central Basin; Coloma Township | Berrien | F | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) +1 more | ✓ |
| Little Paw Paw Lake | Berrien | F | Mercury, Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Oxygen depletion (low DO) +1 more | ✓ |
| Thread Lake | Genesee | F | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), PCBs | ✓ |
| Palmer Lake | St. Joseph | F | Mercury | ✓ |
| Fox Lake | Muskegon | F | Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) | ✓ |
| First Sister Lake | Washtenaw | F | Mercury | ✓ |
| Second Sister Lake | Washtenaw | F | Mercury | ✓ |
| Sturgeon Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Colon Township | St. Joseph | F | PFAS | — |
| Ford Lake Central Basin; Ypsilanti Township | Washtenaw | F | Mercury, Pesticides, PFAS +1 more | ✓ |
| Swan Lake West Central Basin,Cheshire Township | Allegan | F | Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) | — |
| Sassafras Lake | Van Buren | F | Mercury | ✓ |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are impaired in Michigan?
277 of 628 graded Michigan lakes (44%) are listed as impaired in the most recent EPA ATTAINS reporting cycle. Of those, 158 are on the federal Clean Water Act §303(d) list and 241 have an approved Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) restoration plan.
What does Clean Water Act §303(d) mean?
Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act requires every state to identify waters that don't meet water quality standards even after pollution control measures. Each listed water must then have a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) developed — a plan that caps how much of each pollutant can enter the waterbody. The "303(d) list" is the impaired-waters list. The EPA reviews each state's list every two years.
What are the top causes of impairment in Michigan?
The most common causes flagged across Michigan's impaired lakes are: Mercury (188 lakes); PCBs (59 lakes); Oxygen depletion (low DO) (51 lakes); Pathogens (E. coli, fecal) (44 lakes); PFAS (38 lakes); Pesticides (28 lakes). Mercury is widespread in fish tissue across the upper Midwest from atmospheric deposition. Nutrient impairment (phosphorus, nitrogen) typically reflects agricultural runoff and urban stormwater.
Can I swim in an impaired lake?
It depends on the cause of impairment. A lake impaired for "mercury in fish tissue" is generally safe to swim in — the warning is about long-term consumption of fish. A lake impaired for "pathogens" (E. coli) or "algal growth" may pose a swimming risk and often has a separate beach advisory. Check the cause categories listed for each lake below, and consult your state health department's beach monitoring program for current advisories.
Where does this impairment data come from?
Every impairment record on this page comes from the EPA's ATTAINS (Assessment and TMDL Tracking and Implementation System) public dataset, the federal repository of state-reported water quality assessments. EPA ATTAINS is published as GeoParquet files on the EPA Office of Water S3 bucket and refreshed several times per year. Causes and use-support codes follow EPA's standard taxonomy.
Data source
Impairment data from the EPA ATTAINS (Assessment and TMDL Tracking and Implementation System) public dataset. Assessment unit IDs are matched to LakeGrade waterbodies by name and proximity; some lakes may not appear here if their ATTAINS name doesn't match our naming convention. For an official query, consult Michigan's state water-quality agency.