Baldwin Lake
Cass County, MichiganView 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 · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Limited data
Baldwin Lake in Cass County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Baldwin Lake
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Watch Baldwin Lake’s letter
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Why Baldwin Lake has no grade
Baldwin 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, Baldwin Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 9-foot median from 12 readings collected 2019 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.
Baldwin Lake is a lake in Cass County, Michigan. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 25 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Blackside darter, and Blackstripe topminnow.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Baldwin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing25 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Baldwin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Baldwin Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. TSI 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Baldwin Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.176 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.4 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.35 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Baldwin Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040500011303-06 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.31 km)
Graded lakes near Baldwin Lake
Baldwin Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Baldwin Lake
Where is Baldwin Lake?
- Baldwin Lake is a lake in Cass 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 Baldwin Lake?
- Baldwin Lake in Cass County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility.
Is Baldwin Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Baldwin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Baldwin Lake?
- Fish species found in Baldwin Lake include Blacknose shiner, Blackside darter, Blackstripe topminnow, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brook silverside, Central stoneroller, Creek chub, Golden redhorse, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish, Hornyhead chub, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Longnose gar, Mimic shiner, Northern logperch, Northern longear sunfish, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, Spotted sucker, Striped shiner, Western banded killifish, Yellow perch. Baldwin Lake is located in Cass County, Michigan.
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS12 samples · 2019
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