Bear Lake
Kalkaska County, Michigan313 acresView 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.
- 50 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Bear Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 30 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 312.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 30 ft
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 313 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Bear Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Bear Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Bear Lake has no grade
Bear 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, Bear Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 30-foot median from 86 readings collected 2016–2023 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.
Bear Lake is a 313-acre lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Rock bass, Smallmouth bass, and White sucker. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-06-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Bear Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water30 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water50 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Bear Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 30 ft down. TSI 28.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 30 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 28 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 313 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Bear LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bear Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.48 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.4 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.09 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Graded lakes near Bear Lake
Bear Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Kalkaska County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake
Where is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake is a lake in Kalkaska 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 Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 30 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 312.9 acres.
Is Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 312.9 acres.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Lake include Rock bass, Smallmouth bass, White sucker, Yellow perch. Bear Lake is located in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
86 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS86 samples · 2016–2023
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory