Chicagon Lake
Iron County, Michigan1,083 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #15 of 21 in the county
- 110 ft max depth
- Limited data
Chicagon Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 110 ft. Surface area: 1082.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 20 ft
- Max depth
- 110 ft
- Area
- 1,083 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Chicagon Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Chicagon Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 110 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Chicagon Lake is a 1,083-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Iron County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 110 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake whitefish. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Chicagon Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-08-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Chicagon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water20 ft of visibility
- Deep water110 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,083 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Chicagon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 20 ft down. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. TSI 35. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 20 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 110 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,083 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Chicagon Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.185 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.29 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Chicagon 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 MI040301060405-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.29 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 21 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Chicagon Lake
Where is Chicagon Lake?
- Chicagon Lake is a lake in Iron County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Chicagon Lake?
- Chicagon Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 110 ft. Surface area: 1082.5 acres.
Is Chicagon Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Chicagon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Chicagon Lake?
- Chicagon Lake has a maximum depth of 110 feet. The lake covers 1082.5 acres.
What fish are in Chicagon Lake?
- Fish species found in Chicagon Lake include Lake whitefish. Chicagon Lake is located in Iron County, Michigan.
Explore Chicagon Lake across LakeQuality
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Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS65 samples · 2017–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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