Hemmingway Lake
Lapeer County, Michigan65 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.
- Limited data
Hemmingway Lake in Lapeer County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Surface area: 65 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.5 ft
- Area
- 65 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
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Stays near Hemmingway Lake
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Watch Hemmingway Lake’s letter
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Why Hemmingway Lake has no grade
Hemmingway 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, Hemmingway Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 7.5-foot median from 10 readings collected 2021–2022 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.
Hemmingway Lake is a 65-acre lake in Lapeer County, Michigan. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-07-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Hemmingway Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft. TSI 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 65 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Hemmingway Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Hemmingway Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.9 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Hemmingway Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hemingway Lake Dam (completed 1912), built primarily for recreation on the Hemmingway and Wipple Drain; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 65 ac
- Normal storage
- 700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 875 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Hemingway Lake Home Owners Assn
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00294 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.28 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Hemmingway Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Otter Lake WwtpOtter Lake · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MI0056979Recent violation
- Millington Creek EstatesFostoria · 4.9 mi away · NPDES MI0057194
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 Hemmingway Lake
Hemmingway Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Lapeer County
Frequently asked questions about Hemmingway Lake
Where is Hemmingway Lake?
- Hemmingway Lake is a lake in Lapeer 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 Hemmingway Lake?
- Hemmingway Lake in Lapeer County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Surface area: 65 acres.
Is Hemmingway Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS10 samples · 2021–2022
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)