Big Bear Lake
Otsego County, Michigan344 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.
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Big Bear Lake in Otsego County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 343.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.5 ft
- Max depth
- 36 ft
- Area
- 344 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Big Bear Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Big Bear Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 36 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Big Bear Lake has no grade
Big 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, Big Bear Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 15.5-foot median from 16 readings collected 2019–2022 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.
Big Bear Lake is a 344-acre lake in Otsego County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 36 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Bluntnose minnow, Largemouth bass, and Yellow perch. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Big Bear Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water36 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 Big Bear Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down. TSI 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 36 ft |
| Surface Area | 344 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Big 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 Big Bear Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.437 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.57 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Graded lakes near Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Otsego County
Frequently asked questions about Big Bear Lake
Where is Big Bear Lake?
- Big Bear Lake is a lake in Otsego 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 Big Bear Lake?
- Big Bear Lake in Otsego County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 343.5 acres.
Is Big Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Bear Lake?
- Big Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 343.5 acres.
What fish are in Big Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Bear Lake include Bluntnose minnow, Largemouth bass, Yellow perch. Big Bear Lake is located in Otsego County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Big Bear Lake?
- Big Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS16 samples · 2019–2022
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