Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Lake Ann

Benzie County, Michigan532 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
14.5 ft
Secchi · sampled 2023
Max depth
75 ft
Bathymetric survey
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Stable
8 years of samples
  • Impaired · Mercury
  • 75 ft max depth
  • Public access
  • Limited data

Lake Ann in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 532.3 acres.

Clarity
14.5 ft
Max depth
75 ft
Area
532 acres
Trend
Stable
Public access
Yes
Loading map…

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake Ann

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Ann in Benzie 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 Lake Ann

Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →

Watch Lake Ann’s letter

Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.


Or email

Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Ann, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 75 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.

Why Lake Ann has no grade

Lake Ann 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, Lake Ann is Not Rated — not an F. Its 14.5-foot median from 127 readings collected 2016–2023 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.

Lake Ann is a 532-acre lake in Benzie County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 75 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, and Creek chub. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-06-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What Lake Ann is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Clear water14.5 ft of visibility
  • Boat launch1 documented ramp
  • Fishing10 species recorded
  • Deep water75 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Ann is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Traverse City

Get alerts for Lake Ann

Water quality measurements for Lake Ann

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

Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. TSI 39.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)14.5 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)39Oligotrophic

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

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth75 ft
Surface Area532 acres
Public AccessYes

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Lake Ann State Forest CampgrondPublic

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 Lake Ann

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

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.575 m/yr8
Phosphorus Stable+0.11 µg/L/yr7
Chlorophyll-a Declining+0.07 µg/L/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Lake Ann is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

MercuryOxygen depletion (low DO)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601040202-01 · Official waterbody report

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Lake Ann under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.

  • B & M Party Store
    Lake Ann · 0.6 mi away · NPDES MIG080991

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 Lake Ann

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

Nearby Lakes in Benzie County

Frequently asked questions about Lake Ann

Where is Lake Ann?

Lake Ann is a lake in Benzie 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 Lake Ann?

Lake Ann in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 532.3 acres.

Is Lake Ann safe to swim in?

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Ann is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.

How deep is Lake Ann?

Lake Ann has a maximum depth of 75 feet. The lake covers 532.3 acres.

What fish are in Lake Ann?

Fish species found in Lake Ann include Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, Creek chub, Hornyhead chub, Lake herring, Mimic shiner, Northern longear sunfish, Rock bass, Rosyface shiner, Sand shiner. Lake Ann is located in Benzie County, Michigan.

Are there boat ramps on Lake Ann?

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

Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?

Lake Ann is about 17 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

Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan

Where this data comes from

127 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.

Collected and reported by

  • North American Lake Management SocietyNALMS127 samples · 2016–2023
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

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)

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