Blue Lake
Blue Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 108.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 24 ft
- Max depth
- 80 ft
- Area
- 108 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Blue Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Blue Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Blue Lake is a 108-acre lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 80 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Brook stickleback, Brook trout, and Central mudminnow. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Blue Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 24 ft down. Trophic State Index: 31.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 24 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 31 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Blue Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blue Lake in Kalkaska 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 Blue Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 80 ft |
| Surface Area | 108 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Blue Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.613 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.42 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Graded lakes near Blue Lake
Blue Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Kalkaska County
Frequently asked questions about Blue Lake
Where is Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake is a lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 108.4 acres.
Is Blue Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Blue Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet. The lake covers 108.4 acres.
What fish are in Blue Lake?
- Fish species found in Blue Lake include Brook stickleback, Brook trout, Central mudminnow. Blue Lake is located in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Blue Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS65 samples · 2016–2019
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory