Black Lake
Cheboygan County, MichiganView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Black Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L.
Black Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Black Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Black 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 Black Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Black Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.8 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.8µg/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. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Black Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Black Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 135 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Black Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Black Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Black Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Black Lake
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Fishing Black Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Nearby Lakes in Cheboygan County
Frequently asked questions about Black Lake
Where is Black Lake?
- Black Lake is a lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Black Lake?
- Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L.
Is Black 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 Black Lake?
- Black Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 135 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Black Lake?
- Black Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Black Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Black Lake?
- Black Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Black Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS14 samples · 2023
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.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory