Cedar Lake
Alcona County, Michigan914 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 · PFAS
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Cedar Lake in Alcona County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 913.8 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 914 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Cedar Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Cedar Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 10 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Cedar Lake has no grade
Cedar 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 Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 9-foot median from 79 readings collected 2016–2022 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 Lake is a 914-acre lake in Alcona County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 22 documented fish species including Black bullhead, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Cedar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing22 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cedar Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pFAS. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Cedar Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. TSI 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 914 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cedar Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.593 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.02 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.03 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Cedar Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040700030406-03 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Alcona County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
Where is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake is a lake in Alcona 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 Lake?
- Cedar Lake in Alcona County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 913.8 acres.
Is Cedar Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cedar Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pFAS. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 913.8 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include Black bullhead, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brown bullhead, Central mudminnow, Common shiner, Emerald shiner, Fathead minnow, Golden shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Mimic shiner, Northern pike, Northern redbelly dace, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, Tadpole madtom, Western banded killifish, Yellow perch. Cedar Lake is located in Alcona County, Michigan.
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Where this data comes from
79 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS79 samples · 2016–2022
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