Island Lake
Grand Traverse County, Michigan111 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
Island Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Surface area: 111.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Area
- 111 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Island Lake in Grand Traverse 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 Island Lake
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Watch Island Lake’s letter
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Why Island Lake has no grade
Island 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, Island Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 17-foot median from 75 readings collected 2016–2022 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.
Island Lake is a 111-acre lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Largemouth bass, Pumpkinseed, and Walleye.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17 ft of visibility
- Fishing4 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Island Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. TSI 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 111 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Island Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Island Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.333 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.41 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.06 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Graded lakes near Island Lake
Island Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Grand Traverse County
Frequently asked questions about Island Lake
Where is Island Lake?
- Island Lake is a lake in Grand Traverse 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 Island Lake?
- Island Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Surface area: 111.2 acres.
Is Island Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Island Lake include Largemouth bass, Pumpkinseed, Walleye, Yellow perch. Island Lake is located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Explore Island Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Island Lake is about 33 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Michigan
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Where this data comes from
75 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS75 samples · 2016–2022
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.