High Lake
Kent County, Michigan17 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #8 of 10 in the county
- Limited data
High Lake in Kent County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 17.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.3 ft
- Typical in September
- 55°F
- Area
- 17 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 14 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.7 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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High Lake is a 17-acre mesotrophic lake in Kent County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Kent County, High Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 6.3 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 44. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
High Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 53°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 55°F) and coldest in Jun (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 85 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full High Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for High Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing High Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.712 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -10.31 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of High Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Saddle Ridge Condo-AlgomaRockford · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MI0056723Recent violation
- North Kent LandfillRockford · 3.7 mi away · NPDES MI0037486Recent violation
- Wolverine World Wide Inc Former Tannery-RockfordRockford · 4.7 mi away · NPDES MI0060323Recent violation
- Byrne-Electrical-Spec IncRockford · 4.7 mi away · NPDES MIG250392
- Rockford MS4-KentRockford · 4.9 mi away · NPDES MI0060115
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 10 lakes in Kent County
Nearby Lakes in Kent County
Frequently asked questions about High Lake
Where is High Lake?
- High Lake is a lake in Kent County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for High Lake?
- High Lake in Kent County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 17.2 acres.
Is High Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of High Lake?
- High Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in September, from 85 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
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Where this data comes from
22 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS22 samples · 2016–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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)