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Cheboygan County, Michigan

Burt Lake

Grade AExcellent · 15.5 ft clarity

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Limited DataOligotrophic

Burt Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. The lake supports 33 documented fish species including Blackchin shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Cheboygan County, Burt Lake ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2022-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Traverse City

Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent

Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)15.5 ftA
PhosphorusNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)38Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Burt Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Burt Lake in Cheboygan 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.

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Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Burt Lake

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access

Location & Depth Map

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Free interactive depth-contour map of Burt Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 73 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 7 lakes in Cheboygan County

Nearby Lakes in Cheboygan County

Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan

More records, surveys & data sources

EPA Impairment Status

Burt Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040700040209-06 · Official waterbody report

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
593 sq mi
Surface area
17,072 acres
Mean depth (est.)
52.8 ft
Shoreline
30.9 mi
Elevation
581 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory

Most recent sample: 2022-08-29

Monitoring stations: 1

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