Elk Lake
Antrim County, MichiganView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 150 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Elk Lake in Antrim County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 150 ft.
- Clarity
- 14.5 ft
- Max depth
- 150 ft
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Elk Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Elk Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 150 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Elk Lake has no grade
Elk Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Elk Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 14.5-foot median from 6 readings collected 2022 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Elk Lake is a lake in Antrim County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 150 feet. The lake supports 27 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Elk Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
- Fishing27 species recorded
- Deep water150 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Elk Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Elk Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. TSI 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 150 ft |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- AldenPublic
- Torch River BridgePublic
- Rotary ParkPublic
- Elk Rapids MarinaPublic
- Edward C. Grace Memorial HarborPublic
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 Elk Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Elk 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 MI040601050404-02 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Elk Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Burnette Foods Inc-Elk RapidsElk Rapids · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MI0000485Recent 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.
Graded lakes near Elk Lake
Elk Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Antrim County
Frequently asked questions about Elk Lake
Where is Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake is a lake in Antrim County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake in Antrim County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 150 ft.
Is Elk Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Elk Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake has a maximum depth of 150 feet.
What fish are in Elk Lake?
- Fish species found in Elk Lake include Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Burbot, Central mudminnow, Common shiner, Creek chub, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake trout, Lake whitefish, Longnose gar, Mottled sculpin, Muskellunge, Ninespine stickleback, Northern logperch, Northern longear sunfish, Northern pike, Northern redbelly dace, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Rosyface shiner, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, White sucker, Yellow perch. Elk Lake is located in Antrim County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Alden, Torch River Bridge, Rotary Park, Elk Rapids Marina, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Elk Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Elk Lake is about 32 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More Michigan Lake Rankings
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS6 samples · 2022
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