Boot Lake
Kalamazoo County, MichiganView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Boot Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
Boot Lake in Kalamazoo County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Boot Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Kalamazoo County, Boot Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2025-11-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Boot Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 8 samples across 7 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Michigan’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Boot 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 Boot Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Boot 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 7 ft. Phosphorus 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.6 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 46µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.6µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 48 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Boot Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Boot Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in Jan (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (37°F) to its warmest (72°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 787 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Boot Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Boot Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Boot Lake in Kalamazoo 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Boot Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Boot Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
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Fishing Boot Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 10 years of monitoring (2016–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+12.25 µg/L/yr8 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.75 µg/L/yr3 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Boot Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Battle Creek WwtpBattle Creek · 4.8 mi away · NPDES MI0022276MajorRecent violation
- Paradigm Sintered ProductsBattle Creek · 3.9 mi away · NPDES MIG250466Recent violation
- Logans Gas & DeliBattle Creek · 4.1 mi away · NPDES MIG081093
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Kalamazoo County
Frequently asked questions about Boot Lake
Where is Boot Lake?
- Boot Lake is a lake in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Boot Lake?
- Boot Lake in Kalamazoo County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Is Boot Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Boot Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 8 samples across 7 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Boot Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Michigan's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Boot Lake?
- Boot Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 787 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Boot Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
501 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan (Gun Lake)
GNLK01_WQX501 samples · 2016–2025
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity in Water
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)