Emerald Lake
Kent County, Michigan15 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 10 in the county
Emerald Lake in Kent County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Surface area: 14.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.5 ft
- Area
- 15 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Emerald Lake’s letter
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Emerald Lake is a 15-acre mesotrophic lake in Kent County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including Black crappie, Blacknose shiner, and Bluegill. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Kent County, Emerald Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Emerald Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing15 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.9 µg/L. TSI 43. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Emerald Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Emerald Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.379 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.18 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.18 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
9 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Emerald Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Kent Cdc MS4Grand Rapids · 3.1 mi away · NPDES MI0060112Recent violation
- Ibp FoodsGrand Rapids · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MIG250155Recent violation
- Spectrum-Gr-PlymouthGrand Rapids · 3.3 mi away · NPDES MIG250440Recent violation
- Grand Rapids MS4Grand Rapids · 4.9 mi away · NPDES MI0053872Recent violation
- Grand Rapids Twp MS4-KentGrand Rapids · 2.4 mi away · NPDES MI0060110
- Macdonalds Ind-Oak IndustrialGrand Rapids · 3.3 mi away · NPDES MI0057568
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 10 lakes in Kent County
Nearby Lakes in Kent County
Frequently asked questions about Emerald Lake
Where is Emerald Lake?
- Emerald Lake is a lake in Kent County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Emerald Lake?
- Emerald Lake in Kent County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Surface area: 14.7 acres.
Is Emerald Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Emerald Lake?
- Fish species found in Emerald Lake include Black crappie, Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Green sunfish, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Walleye, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow perch. Emerald Lake is located in Kent County, Michigan.
Explore Emerald Lake across LakeQuality
16 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
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Where this data comes from
160 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_MICORPS160 samples · 2016–2023
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.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)