Bass Lake
Livingston County, Michigan173 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — 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. No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 73 ft max depth
- Limited data
Bass Lake in Livingston County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 172.6 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Max depth
- 73 ft
- Area
- 173 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Bass Lake
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Watch Bass Lake’s letter
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Why Bass Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Bass Lake, 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. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. 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.
Bass Lake is a 173-acre lake in Livingston County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 73 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Bowfin and Lake herring.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Bass Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water73 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Bass Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pFAS, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Bass Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 73 ft |
| Surface Area | 173 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bass Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.552 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.29 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bass Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040900050307-13 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.4 km)
Graded lakes near Bass Lake
Bass Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Livingston County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
Where is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake is a lake in Livingston 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 Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Livingston County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 172.6 acres.
Is Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Bass Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pFAS, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake covers 172.6 acres.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Bass Lake include Bowfin, Lake herring. Bass Lake is located in Livingston County, Michigan.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS9 samples · 2022–2023
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database