Carter Lake
Barry County, Michigan60 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
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Carter Lake in Barry County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 59.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 4 ft
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 60 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Carter Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Carter Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Carter Lake has no grade
Carter 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, Carter Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 4-foot median from 12 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.
Carter Lake is a 60-acre lake in Barry County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including Black crappie, Bluegill, and Brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Carter Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Carter Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Carter Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. TSI 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 60 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Carter LakePublic
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 Carter Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +4.41 m/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Carter 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 MI040500070404-03 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.76 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Carter Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Hastings Sanitary ServiceHastings · 0.9 mi away · NPDES MI0050199Recent violation
- Hastings WwtpHastings · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MI0020575Recent violation
- Tubergen Dairy Farm South-CafoHastings · 3.8 mi away · NPDES MI0060342Recent violation
- Hastings Manufacturing CompanyHastings · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MIG250433
- Bliss Clearing NiagaraHastings · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MI0003646
- R & J #4-Citgo Gas StationHastings · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MIG081046
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.
Graded lakes near Carter Lake
Carter Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Barry County
Frequently asked questions about Carter Lake
Where is Carter Lake?
- Carter Lake is a lake in Barry 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 Carter Lake?
- Carter Lake in Barry County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 59.7 acres.
Is Carter Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Carter Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Carter Lake?
- Carter Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 59.7 acres.
What fish are in Carter Lake?
- Fish species found in Carter Lake include Black crappie, Bluegill, Brown bullhead, Lake chubsucker, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Warmouth, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Carter Lake is located in Barry County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Carter Lake?
- Carter Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Carter Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Carter Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
12 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
NALMS12 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory