Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township
Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township in Benzie County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Benzie County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2019. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Benzie County, Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
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Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. Phosphorus level: 6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township in Benzie County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Recreation & Access
Fishing Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 9 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.349 m/yr | 9 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.54 µg/L/yr | 9 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.13 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601040206-05 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.76 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 21 lakes in Benzie County
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township
Where is Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township?
- Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township is a lake in Benzie 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 Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township?
- Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township in Benzie County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L.
Is Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township?
- Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Platte Lake Northwest Basin; Benzonia Township across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS71 samples · 2016–2019
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory