Derby Lake
Montcalm County, Michigan113 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Derby Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 87 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Derby Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 113.2 acres.
Derby Lake is a 113-acre mesotrophic lake in Montcalm County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 87 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Montcalm County, Derby Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Derby Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14 ft of visibility
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water87 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Derby 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 Derby Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Derby 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 14 ft. Phosphorus 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| 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. | 38 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Derby Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
87 ft
Surface area
113 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Derby Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2016–2019).
Water clarity
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.23 µg/L/yr4 years
Nearby Lakes in Montcalm County
Frequently asked questions about Derby Lake
Where is Derby Lake?
- Derby 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 Derby Lake?
- Derby Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 113.2 acres.
Is Derby Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Derby Lake?
- Derby Lake has a maximum depth of 87 feet. The lake covers 113.2 acres.
What fish are in Derby Lake?
- Fish species found in Derby Lake include Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Creek chub, Iowa darter, Largemouth bass, Least darter, Northern longear sunfish, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, Spotfin shiner. Derby Lake is located in Montcalm County, Michigan.
Can I fish at Derby Lake?
- Public access to Derby 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 Derby Lake across LakeQuality
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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
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Where this data comes from
51 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS51 samples · 2016–2019
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.