Great Bear Lake
Van Buren County, MichiganView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Great Bear Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Limited data
Great Bear Lake in Van Buren County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Great Bear Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Great Bear Lake is a lake in Van Buren County, Michigan. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Great Bear Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing8 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Great Bear 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 Great Bear Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Great Bear 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. TSI 47.
| 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 | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Great Bear Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Great Bear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Great Bear Lake in Van Buren 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 Great Bear Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 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 →
Follow Great Bear Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Great Bear Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2017–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+8 µg/L/yr2 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Great Bear Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Paw Paw WwtpPaw Paw · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MI0021741Recent violation
- Minute Maid Co-Paw PawPaw Paw · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MIG250286Recent violation
- Refresco Beverages Us Inc-Paw PawPaw Paw · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MI0056367Recent 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.
Nearby Lakes in Van Buren County
Frequently asked questions about Great Bear Lake
Where is Great Bear Lake?
- Great Bear Lake is a lake in Van Buren County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Great Bear Lake?
- Great Bear Lake in Van Buren County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility.
Is Great Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Great Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Great Bear Lake include Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Iowa darter, Largemouth bass, Warmouth, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Great Bear Lake is located in Van Buren County, Michigan.
Explore Great Bear Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Van Buren County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings
Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Michigan
Other Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS46 samples · 2021–2023
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)