Brooks Lake
Leelanau County, Michigan7 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #3 of 12 in the county
Brooks Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 7 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Area
- 7 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
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Stays near Brooks Lake
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Watch Brooks Lake’s letter
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Brooks Lake is a 7-acre mesotrophic lake in Leelanau County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Leelanau County, Brooks Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Brooks Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.2 µg/L. TSI 41. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Brooks Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Brooks Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.07 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.81 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.1 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Brooks Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601040402-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.56 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 12 lakes in Leelanau County
Nearby Lakes in Leelanau County
Frequently asked questions about Brooks Lake
Where is Brooks Lake?
- Brooks Lake is a lake in Leelanau County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Brooks Lake?
- Brooks Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 7 acres.
Is Brooks Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Brooks Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Brooks Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Brooks Lake is about 6 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
190 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS190 samples · 2016–2023
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database