Burt Lake
Cheboygan County, Michigan17,393 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 73 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Burt Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 17393 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.5 ft
- Max depth
- 73 ft
- Area
- 17,393 acres
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Burt Lake’s letter
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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.
Why Burt Lake has no grade
Burt Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Burt Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 15.5-foot median from 13 readings collected 2022 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. 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.
Burt Lake is a 17,393-acre lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake supports 33 documented fish species including Blackchin shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Burt Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing33 species recorded
- Deep water73 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water17,393 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Burt Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Burt Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down. TSI 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 73 ft |
| Surface Area | 17,393 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Burt Lake Maple BayPublic
- Burt Lake State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Burt Lake
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040700040209-06 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Burt Lake
Burt Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cheboygan County
Frequently asked questions about Burt Lake
Where is Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake is a lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — 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.
What is the water quality grade for Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 17393 acres.
Is Burt Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Burt Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake has a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake covers 17393 acres.
What fish are in Burt Lake?
- Fish species found in Burt Lake include Blackchin shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Bowfin, Brown bullhead, Brown trout, Central mudminnow, Common shiner, Creek chub, Emerald shiner, Green sunfish, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake sturgeon, Largemouth bass, Longnose gar, Mimic shiner, Mottled sculpin, Northern logperch, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Silver lamprey, Silver redhorse, Smallmouth bass, Spottail shiner, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Burt Lake is located in Cheboygan County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Burt Lake?
- Burt Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Burt Lake Maple Bay, Burt Lake State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS13 samples · 2022
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory