Cedar Island Lake
Oakland County, Michigan290 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 · Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Cedar Island Lake in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 290 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Max depth
- 72 ft
- Area
- 290 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Cedar Island Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Cedar Island Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 72 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Cedar Island Lake has no grade
Cedar Island 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, Cedar Island Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 10.5-foot median from 27 readings collected 2018–2022 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.
Cedar Island Lake is a 290-acre lake in Oakland County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 72 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Cedar Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Deep water72 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedBacteria advisory
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cedar Island Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Cedar Island Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. TSI 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft |
| Surface Area | 290 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.204 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.94 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.13 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cedar Island Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Oxbow Dam (completed 1964), built primarily for recreation on the Huron River; earth-type dam, 15 ft tall and 255 ft long.
- Surface area
- 290 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,900 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 25.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Oakland County Drain Commissioner
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00263 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.97 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Cedar Island 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 MI040900050102-11 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.56 km)
Graded lakes near Cedar Island Lake
Cedar Island Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Oakland County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Island Lake
Where is Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake is a lake in Oakland 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 Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 290 acres.
Is Cedar Island Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cedar Island Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake has a maximum depth of 72 feet. The lake covers 290 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Island Lake include Lake herring. Cedar Island Lake is located in Oakland County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Cedar Island Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
27 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2018–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS27 samples · 2018–2022
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory