Big Star Lake
Lake County, Michigan892 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 7 in the county
- Public access
Big Star Lake in Lake County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 891.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Typical in September
- 72°F
- Area
- 892 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 9 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Big Star Lake’s letter
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Big Star Lake is a 892-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Big Star Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 42. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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.
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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 892 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Big Star Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Big Star Lake
- Gleason'S Landing Recreation Area Campground4.7 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Star Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.002 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 7 lakes in Lake County
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. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Big Star Lake?
- Big Star Lake in Lake County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- The A is nutrients and algae, 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.
Are there campgrounds on Big Star Lake?
- Big Star Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Gleason'S Landing Recreation Area Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Big Star Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles