Barnes Lake
Lapeer County, Michigan110 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #3 of 4 in the county
Barnes Lake in Lapeer County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 110 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.5 ft
- Area
- 110 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Barnes Lake’s letter
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Barnes Lake is a 110-acre mesotrophic lake in Lapeer County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Lapeer County, Barnes Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Barnes Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.5 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.1 µg/L. TSI 40. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 110 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Barnes Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Barnes Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +4.57 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Barnes Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Barnes Lake Dam (completed 1935), built primarily for recreation on the Barnes Lake Outlet; earth-type dam, 7 ft tall and 225 ft long.
- Surface area
- 110 ac
- Normal storage
- 132 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 184 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Barnes Lake Property Owners
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI01420 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Barnes Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Wolverine Christ Service CampColumbiaville · 4.2 mi away · NPDES MIG580336Recent violation
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Lapeer County
Nearby Lakes in Lapeer County
Frequently asked questions about Barnes Lake
Where is Barnes Lake?
- Barnes Lake is a lake in Lapeer County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Barnes Lake?
- Barnes Lake in Lapeer County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 110 acres.
Is Barnes Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Barnes Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
70 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS70 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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)