Glen Lake
Leelanau County, Michigan6,289 acresView 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
- 130 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Glen Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 130 ft. Surface area: 6289 acres.
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Max depth
- 130 ft
- Area
- 6,289 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Glen Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Glen Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 130 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Glen Lake has no grade
Glen 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, Glen Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 16-foot median from 224 readings collected 2016–2022 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.
Glen Lake is a 6,289-acre lake in Leelanau County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 130 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Glen Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Deep water130 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water6,289 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Glen Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Glen Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. TSI 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 130 ft |
| Surface Area | 6,289 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Glen LakePublic
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 Glen Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.243 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Glen Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601040402-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.94 km)
Graded lakes near Glen Lake
Glen Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Leelanau County
Frequently asked questions about Glen Lake
Where is Glen Lake?
- Glen Lake is a lake in Leelanau 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 Glen Lake?
- Glen Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 130 ft. Surface area: 6289 acres.
Is Glen Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Glen Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Glen Lake?
- Glen Lake has a maximum depth of 130 feet. The lake covers 6289 acres.
What fish are in Glen Lake?
- Fish species found in Glen Lake include Lake herring. Glen Lake is located in Leelanau County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Glen Lake?
- Glen Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Glen Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Glen Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Glen Lake is about 5 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
224 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS224 samples · 2016–2022
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory