Beaver Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Alpena County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Brown bullhead and Lake herring. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Alpena County, Beaver Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2022-09-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Beaver Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beaver Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +4.775 m/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Beaver Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 4 lakes in Alpena County
Nearby Lakes in Alpena County
Explore Beaver Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Alpena County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Alcona County · Clarity: 17 ft
Alcona County · Clarity: 24.5 ft
Alcona County · Clarity: 10.5 ft
Montmorency County · Clarity: 27 ft
Iosco County · Clarity: 12 ft
Montmorency County · Clarity: 10 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Beaver Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040700060101-02 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2022-09-03
Monitoring stations: 1