Ackerson Lake
Jackson County, Michigan187 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- 36 ft max depth
- Limited data
Ackerson Lake in Jackson County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Surface area: 187.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Max depth
- ~36 ft est.
- Area
- 187 acres
- Phosphorus
- 13 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Ackerson Lake’s letter
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Why Ackerson Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Ackerson Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity and phosphorus, but not algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Ackerson Lake is a 187-acre lake in Jackson County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 36 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Ackerson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Ackerson Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~36 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 187 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Michigan has not published bathymetry for Ackerson Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Jackson County Outdoor ClubSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Ackerson Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -2 m/yr | 2 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Ackerson Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Gerdau Specialty Steel-JacksonJackson · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MI0028461Recent violation
- Adco Products IncMichigan Center · 4.6 mi away · NPDES MI0038601Recent violation
- Mich Center School DistMichigan Center · 3.3 mi away · NPDES MI0041998
- Admiral Petroleum-Sta 140Michigan Center · 3.7 mi away · NPDES MI0058176
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Ackerson Lake
Ackerson Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Ackerson Lake
Where is Ackerson Lake?
- Ackerson Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Ackerson Lake?
- Ackerson Lake in Jackson County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Surface area: 187.1 acres.
Is Ackerson Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Ackerson Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Ackerson Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 36 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 187.1 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Ackerson Lake?
- Ackerson Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Jackson County Outdoor Club.
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Where this data comes from
33 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS33 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory