Beaver Lake
Alger County, Michigan782 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- #7 of 8 in the county
- 39 ft max depth
Beaver Lake in Alger County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 781.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.5 ft
- Typical in September
- 68°F
- Max depth
- 39 ft
- Area
- 782 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Beaver Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 39 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Beaver Lake is a 782-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Alger County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 39 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including Bluntnose minnow, Brook stickleback, and Brook trout. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Alger County, Beaver Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2024-08-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Beaver Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Deep water39 ft surveyed max depth
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. Phosphorus 7.8 µg/L. TSI 36. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Beaver Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in Jun (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 666 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Beaver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 39 ft |
| Surface Area | 782 acres |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beaver Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 9 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.093 m/yr | 9 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 8 lakes in Alger County
Nearby Lakes in Alger County
Frequently asked questions about Beaver Lake
Where is Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake is a lake in Alger County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake in Alger County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 781.7 acres.
Is Beaver Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 666 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 781.7 acres.
What fish are in Beaver Lake?
- Fish species found in Beaver Lake include Bluntnose minnow, Brook stickleback, Brook trout, Johnny darter, Northern logperch, Northern pike, Northern redbelly dace, Rainbow trout, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Spottail shiner, Western blacknose dace, White sucker, Yellow perch. Beaver Lake is located in Alger County, Michigan.
Explore Beaver Lake across LakeQuality
16.7 mi away · 75 ft
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Alger County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Pictured Rocks?
Beaver Lake is about 1 miles from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Pictured Rocks →More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Compare Beaver Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
43 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX43 samples · 2016–2024
Analytical methods
- Secchi Disk
- Alkaline Persulfate Digestion for Total N and P in Water
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)