Lake Bellaire
Antrim County, Michigan1,520 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.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 95 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Bellaire in Antrim County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1520 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Max depth
- 95 ft
- Area
- 1,520 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Bellaire
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Watch Lake Bellaire’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Bellaire, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 95 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Lake Bellaire has no grade
Lake Bellaire 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 Bellaire is Not Rated — not an F. Its 12.5-foot median from 53 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.
Lake Bellaire is a 1,520-acre lake in Antrim County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 95 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 22 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, and Bluntnose minnow. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-08-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Bellaire is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing22 species recorded
- Deep water95 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,520 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Bellaire is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Bellaire
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. TSI 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 95 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,520 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Lake Bellaire (West)Public
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 Bellaire
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.884 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.18 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Bellaire is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bellaire Dam (completed 1906), built primarily for recreation on the Intermediate River; earth-type dam, 18 ft tall and 213 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,520 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,210 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 12,180 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 145.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Antrim County Board of Public Works
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00435 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Bellaire is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601050304-08 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Bellaire under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Bellaire WwtpBellaire · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MI0044873Recent violation
- Northen A-1 ServicesBellaire · 1.8 mi away · NPDES MIG080975
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 Bellaire
Lake Bellaire has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Antrim County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Bellaire
Where is Lake Bellaire?
- Lake Bellaire is a lake in Antrim 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 Bellaire?
- Lake Bellaire in Antrim County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1520 acres.
Is Lake Bellaire safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Bellaire is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Bellaire?
- Lake Bellaire has a maximum depth of 95 feet. The lake covers 1520 acres.
What fish are in Lake Bellaire?
- Fish species found in Lake Bellaire include Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake trout, Largemouth bass, Longnose gar, Northern logperch, Northern longear sunfish, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow smelt, Rock bass, Rosyface shiner, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow perch. Lake Bellaire is located in Antrim County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Bellaire?
- Lake Bellaire has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Bellaire (West). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Bellaire across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Antrim County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Lake Bellaire is about 39 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
53 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
NALMS53 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.
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