Arnold Lake
Clare County, Michigan121 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 80 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Arnold Lake in Clare County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 121.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Max depth
- 80 ft
- Area
- 121 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Arnold Lake
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Watch Arnold Lake’s letter
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Why Arnold Lake has no grade
Arnold Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Arnold Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 17-foot median from 107 readings collected 2016–2022 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. 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.
Arnold Lake is a 121-acre lake in Clare County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 80 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Arnold Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Deep water80 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Arnold Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Arnold Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. TSI 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 80 ft |
| Surface Area | 121 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Arnold LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Arnold Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.892 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.09 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Arnold Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040802010201-07 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.8 km)
Graded lakes near Arnold Lake
Arnold Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Clare County
Frequently asked questions about Arnold Lake
Where is Arnold Lake?
- Arnold Lake is a lake in Clare 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 Arnold Lake?
- Arnold Lake in Clare County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 121.3 acres.
Is Arnold Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Arnold Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Arnold Lake?
- Arnold Lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet. The lake covers 121.3 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Arnold Lake?
- Arnold Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Arnold Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
107 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS107 samples · 2016–2022
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory