C

Earl Lake Central Basin

Livingston County, WisconsinEutrophic

Earl Lake Central Basin is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Livingston County, MI. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Livingston County, Earl Lake Central Basin ranks #19 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2021-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Water Quality Grade: C, Fair

Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Chlorophyll-a: 13 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	5.5 ft	D
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	13 µg/L	C
Trophic State Index (TSI)	54	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #19 of 20 lakes in Livingston County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Earl Lake Central Basin holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Livingston County

Cordley Lake Central Basin; Hamburg Township

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Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township

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Clark Lake Central Basin; Brighton Township

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Oneida Lake East Central Basin

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More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

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Top 25 by overall water quality score

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Grade A/B + low algae filter

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Panfish-rich, public access

All Wisconsin lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade C Lakes in Wisconsin

Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township

Cass County · Clarity: 7 ft

Leelanau County · Clarity: 9.5 ft

Van Etten Lake North Central Basin; Oscoda Township

Iosco County · Clarity: 5.5 ft

Muskegon County · Clarity: 6.8 ft

Little Lake Twenty

Gladwin County · Clarity: 9 ft

Montmorency County · Clarity: 9 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Kimball Lake Van Etten Lake North Central Basin; Oscoda Township Community College Pond Pentwater Lake Northwest Basin; Pentwater Township

EPA Impairment Status

Earl Lake Central Basin is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

PFASPCBsSalinity / chlorides

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040802030104-08 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.15 km)

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2021-09-12

Monitoring stations: 1