Arnold Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Clare County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Clare County, Arnold Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2022-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.5 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Arnold Lake
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Fishing Arnold Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +3.79 m/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.15 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 12 lakes in Clare County
Nearby Lakes in Clare County
Explore Arnold Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Clare County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Gladwin County · Clarity: 16.5 ft
Gladwin County · Clarity: 15.5 ft
Gladwin County · Clarity: 13.2 ft
Roscommon County · Clarity: 35 ft
Roscommon County · Clarity: 34 ft
Roscommon County · Clarity: 34.5 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
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)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2022-09-16
Monitoring stations: 1