Badwater Lake
Badwater Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 275.5 acres.
- Area
- 276 acres
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Water clarity at Badwater Lake
Moderate clarity. Across summers from 2018 to 2023, Badwater Lake averaged 2.23 m (7 ft) of visibility down into the water, so visibility is middling in midsummer, which is ordinary for a productive inland lake.
Nobody has taken a water sample here that we can find. Michigan's environmental agency measures clarity on lakes like this one from satellite images instead, which is why this page reports how clear the water is but carries no A–F grade.
Clear is not the same as clean. A lake can be easy to see through and still carry high nutrient levels, and a naturally tea-stained lake can be perfectly healthy. The A–F grade on other lakes is built from phosphorus and algae measured in a laboratory, and clarity alone cannot stand in for it.
The same satellite images put summer algae here at roughly 4.82 micrograms per litre. Estimating algae from orbit is far less exact than measuring clarity, so that figure is worth knowing and is not part of any rating.
Badwater Lake is a 276-acre lake in Dickinson County, Michigan.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled recent years. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedElevated nutrients
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Badwater Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Trophic State Index: undefined.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) |
Where to stay near Badwater Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Badwater Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Badwater Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 276 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Badwater Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Badwater Lake
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Frequently asked questions about Badwater Lake
Where is Badwater Lake?
- Badwater Lake is a lake in Dickinson County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no in-situ water sample; this lake is rated for water clarity from satellite observations instead.
What is the water quality grade for Badwater Lake?
- Badwater Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 275.5 acres.
Is Badwater Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Badwater Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for Badwater Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.