Grand Sable Lake
Alger County, Michigan656 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Grand Sable Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 85 ft max depth
- Public access
Grand Sable Lake in Alger County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 655.7 acres.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Grand Sable Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 85 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Grand Sable Lake is a 656-acre mesotrophic lake in Alger County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 85 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Alger County, Grand Sable Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2024-08-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Grand Sable Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Deep water85 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Grand Sable Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Grand Sable 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 Grand Sable Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Grand Sable Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus 10.8 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Grand Sable Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Grand Sable Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 61°F) and coldest in May (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (48°F) to its warmest (61°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,423 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Grand Sable Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
85 ft
Surface area
656 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Grand Sable Lake
- Woodland Park4.2 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Grand Sable Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Grand Sable Lake in Alger County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Grand Sable Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
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Fishing Grand Sable Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 9 years of monitoring (2016–2024).
Water clarity
Improving9 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.46 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Grand Sable Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040202010209-04 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Alger County
Frequently asked questions about Grand Sable Lake
Where is Grand Sable Lake?
- Grand Sable Lake is a lake in Alger County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Grand Sable Lake?
- Grand Sable Lake in Alger County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 655.7 acres.
Is Grand Sable Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Grand Sable Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Grand Sable Lake?
- Grand Sable Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 1,423 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Grand Sable Lake?
- Grand Sable Lake has a maximum depth of 85 feet. The lake covers 655.7 acres.
Can I fish at Grand Sable Lake?
- Public access to Grand Sable 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.
Are there campgrounds on Grand Sable Lake?
- Grand Sable Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Woodland Park. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Grand Sable Lake across LakeQuality
1.6 mi away · 75 ft
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Fish species and best lakes in Alger County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Planning a trip around Pictured Rocks?
Grand Sable Lake is about 15 miles from Pictured Rocks 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 Pictured Rocks →More lakes in Michigan
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Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX52 samples · 2016–2024
Analytical methods
- Secchi Disk
- Alkaline Persulfate Digestion for Total N and P in Water
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles