Big Star Lake
Lake County, Michigan892 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Star Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
Big Star Lake in Lake County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 891.5 acres.
Big Star Lake is a 892-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including Black crappie, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Big Star Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Star Lake covers about 890 acres in Lake County. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Big Star Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Big Star Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing18 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Star Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Big Star Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Big Star Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Big Star Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Big Star Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 145 field readings (2014–2017) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Star Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
892 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
No bathymetric survey has been published for Big Star Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Star Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Star Lake in Lake 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Star Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Star Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2016–2022).
Water clarity
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.43 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.31 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Big Star Lake
Where is Big Star Lake?
- Big Star Lake is a lake in Lake County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Star Lake?
- Big Star Lake in Lake County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 891.5 acres.
Is Big Star Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Big Star Lake?
- Big Star Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 145 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2014–2017). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Big Star Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Star Lake include Black crappie, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Burbot, Creek chub, Green sunfish, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Mimic shiner, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, Tadpole madtom, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Big Star Lake is located in Lake County, Michigan.
Can I fish at Big Star Lake?
- Public access to Big Star Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Michigan's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Big Star Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
127 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS127 samples · 2016–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.