Crooked Lake
Emmet County, Michigan2,360 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 4 in the county
- 50 ft max depth
- Public access
Crooked Lake in Emmet County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 2359.5 acres.
- Typical in October
- 57°F
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 2,360 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 13 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Crooked Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Crooked Lake is a 2,360-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Emmet County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 26 documented fish species including Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, and Brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Emmet County, Crooked Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2024-10-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Crooked Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing26 species recorded
- Deep water50 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,360 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Crooked Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.9 µg/L. TSI 39. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Crooked Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Feb (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crooked Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,360 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Crooked 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 Crooked Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.35 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.43 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Crooked 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 MI040700040202-02 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Crooked Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Mdnr-Oden Fish HatcheryAlanson · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MI0035726Recent violation
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Emmet County
Nearby Lakes in Emmet County
Frequently asked questions about Crooked Lake
Where is Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake is a lake in Emmet County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake in Emmet County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 2359.5 acres.
Is Crooked Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Crooked Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 2359.5 acres.
What fish are in Crooked Lake?
- Fish species found in Crooked Lake include Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brown bullhead, Central mudminnow, Common shiner, Emerald shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Longnose gar, Mimic shiner, Mottled sculpin, Northern logperch, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Silver lamprey, Smallmouth bass, Spottail shiner, Walleye, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Crooked Lake is located in Emmet County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Crooked Lake?
- Crooked Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crooked Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crooked Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
LTBBWATR_WQX39 samples · 2016–2024
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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