Lake Charlevoix
Charlevoix County, Michigan17,256 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Charlevoix. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 122 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Charlevoix in Charlevoix County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 122 ft. Surface area: 17255.9 acres.
Lake Charlevoix is a 17,256-acre lake in Charlevoix County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 122 feet. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Lake whitefish, Rainbow smelt, and Round whitefish. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-08-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Charlevoix is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17.8 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water122 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water17,256 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Charlevoix is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Charlevoix is safe to swim in today is a call for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Charlevoix
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Lake Charlevoix, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.8 ft down. TSI 36.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 36 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Lake Charlevoix
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
122 ft
Surface area
17,256 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
317 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
57.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
564 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Dutchman's BayPublic
- Bridge StreetPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Charlevoix
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Charlevoix in Charlevoix 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 Charlevoix
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Charlevoix
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Charlevoix is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601050207-01 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Charlevoix under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Dura Automotive SystemsEast Jordan · 0.6 mi away · NPDES MIG250408Recent violation
- Burnette Foods Inc-East JordanEast Jordan · 0.9 mi away · NPDES MI0058855Recent violation
- East Iron Works IncEast Jordan · 0.4 mi away · NPDES MI0003590
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.
Nearby Lakes in Charlevoix County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Charlevoix
Where is Lake Charlevoix?
- Lake Charlevoix is a lake in Charlevoix County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Charlevoix?
- Lake Charlevoix in Charlevoix County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 122 ft. Surface area: 17255.9 acres.
Is Lake Charlevoix safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Charlevoix is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Charlevoix?
- Lake Charlevoix has a maximum depth of 122 feet. The lake covers 17255.9 acres.
What fish are in Lake Charlevoix?
- Fish species found in Lake Charlevoix include Lake whitefish, Rainbow smelt, Round whitefish. Lake Charlevoix is located in Charlevoix County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Charlevoix?
- Lake Charlevoix has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dutchman's Bay, Bridge Street. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Charlevoix?
- Lake Charlevoix has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Michigan's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS6 samples · 2022
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory