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LakeQuality

Indian Lake

Kalkaska County, Michigan42 acresView mapDirections

NR
Not rated

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.

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
13.5 ft
Secchi · sampled 2021
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Stable
8 years of samples
  • Public access
  • Limited data

Indian Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Surface area: 42.3 acres.

Clarity
13.5 ft
Area
42 acres
Trend
Stable
Public access
Yes
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Stays near Indian Lake

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Watch Indian Lake’s letter

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Why Indian Lake has no grade

Indian 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, Indian Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 13.5-foot median from 80 readings collected 2016–2021 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.

Indian Lake is a 42-acre lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Lake herring and Shorthead redhorse. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What Indian Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
  • Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Traverse City

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Water quality measurements for Indian Lake

These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.

Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. TSI 40.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)13.5 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)40Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area42 acres
Public AccessYes

No bathymetric survey has been published for Indian Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Indian LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Indian Lake

Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.888 m/yr8
Phosphorus Stable+0.02 µg/L/yr7
Chlorophyll-a Declining+0.41 µg/L/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

Graded lakes near Indian Lake

Indian Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Kalkaska County

Frequently asked questions about Indian Lake

Where is Indian Lake?

Indian Lake is a lake in Kalkaska 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 Indian Lake?

Indian Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Surface area: 42.3 acres.

Is Indian Lake safe to swim in?

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

What fish are in Indian Lake?

Fish species found in Indian Lake include Lake herring, Shorthead redhorse. Indian Lake is located in Kalkaska County, Michigan.

Are there boat ramps on Indian Lake?

Indian Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Indian Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

80 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.

Collected and reported by

  • North American Lake Management SocietyNALMS80 samples · 2016–2021
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

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory