Big Blue Lake
Kalkaska County, MichiganView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- #7 of 13 in the county
Big Blue Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 24 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Big Blue Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Big Blue Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, and Bluntnose minnow. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Kalkaska County, Big Blue Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Big Blue Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water24 ft of visibility
- Fishing17 species recorded
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 24 ft down. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.3 µg/L. TSI 34. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 24 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 34 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Blue Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.755 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 13 lakes in Kalkaska County
Nearby Lakes in Kalkaska County
Frequently asked questions about Big Blue Lake
Where is Big Blue Lake?
- Big Blue Lake is a lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Big Blue Lake?
- Big Blue Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L.
Is Big Blue Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Big Blue Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Blue Lake include Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, Finescale dace, Golden shiner, Iowa darter, Lake herring, Mimic shiner, Northern pearl dace, Northern redbelly dace, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Rock bass, Smallmouth bass, White sucker, Yellow perch. Big Blue Lake is located in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
Explore Big Blue Lake across LakeQuality
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Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
104 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS104 samples · 2016–2023
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.