Higgins Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Roscommon County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Lake herring, Lake whitefish, and Mottled sculpin. Public access is available. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Roscommon County, Higgins Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2021-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 34 ft down. Trophic State Index: 26.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 34 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 26 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Higgins Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Higgins Lake
Current Conditions
Latest reading Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM from USGS gauge 442805084411001. See live data ↗ — readings update every 15–60 minutes; this page refreshes on each build.
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Higgins Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 130 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 6 lakes in Roscommon County
Nearby Lakes in Roscommon County
Explore Higgins Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Roscommon County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Crawford County · Clarity: 16 ft
Crawford County · Clarity: 16 ft
Crawford County · Clarity: 19 ft
Crawford County · Clarity: 19 ft
Kalkaska County · Clarity: 36.5 ft
Kalkaska County · Clarity: 19 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Higgins 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 MI040601020101-02 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2021-09-09
Monitoring stations: 1