Crystal Lake
Hillsdale County, Michigan125 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
Crystal Lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 125 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Typical in September
- 56°F
- Area
- 125 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Crystal Lake is a 125-acre mesotrophic lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including Black crappie, Bluegill, and Burbot. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Hillsdale County, Crystal Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Crystal Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing16 species recorded
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 43. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Crystal Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 56°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 703 field readings (2022–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crystal Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 125 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Crystal Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crystal Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +2.71 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Crystal Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Crystal Lake Dam (completed 1976), built primarily for recreation on the Trib to Grand River; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall and 100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 125 ac
- Normal storage
- 90 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 290 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Hillsdale County Drain Commissioner
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00956 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Hillsdale County
Nearby Lakes in Hillsdale County
Frequently asked questions about Crystal Lake
Where is Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake is a lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 125 acres.
Is Crystal Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in September, from 703 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Crystal Lake?
- Fish species found in Crystal Lake include Black crappie, Bluegill, Burbot, Common shiner, Emerald shiner, Green sunfish, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake whitefish, Largemouth bass, Mottled sculpin, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow smelt, Smallmouth bass, White sucker, Yellow perch. Crystal Lake is located in Hillsdale County, Michigan.
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Where this data comes from
70 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS70 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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.