Crystal Lake
Montcalm County, Michigan709 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Crystal Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 70 ft max depth
- Public access
Crystal Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 708.5 acres.
Crystal Lake is a 709-acre mesotrophic lake in Montcalm County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 70 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Montcalm County, Crystal Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Crystal Lake covers about 710 acres in Montcalm County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Crystal Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Crystal Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Deep water70 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crystal Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Crystal Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Crystal Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 39 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Crystal Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Crystal Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 57°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (57°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 527 field readings (2011–2014) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crystal Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
70 ft
Surface area
709 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Crystal Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crystal Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Crystal Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Crystal Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 8 years of monitoring (2016–2023).
Water clarity
Improving8 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.54 µg/L/yr7 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.32 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Montcalm County
Frequently asked questions about Crystal Lake
Where is Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake is a lake in Montcalm County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 708.5 acres.
Is Crystal Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in September, from 527 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2014). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake has a maximum depth of 70 feet. The lake covers 708.5 acres.
Can I fish at Crystal Lake?
- Public access to Crystal Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Michigan's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Crystal Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Montcalm County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings
Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
154 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS154 samples · 2016–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.