Lake Independence
Marquette County, Michigan2,071 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
- 30 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lake Independence in Marquette County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 2071 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 2,071 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Lake Independence
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Watch Lake Independence’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Independence, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Lake Independence has no grade
Lake Independence 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 Independence is Not Rated — not an F. Its 8-foot median from 47 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 Independence is a 2,071-acre lake in Marquette County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Independence is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,071 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Independence is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Independence
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. TSI 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,071 acres |
Fishing Lake Independence
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.388 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.13 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Independence is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Independence Dam (completed 1913), built primarily for recreation on the Iron River; earth-type dam, 14 ft tall and 150 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,071 ac
- Normal storage
- 9,330 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 16,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 95 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Marquette County Drain Commissioner
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00438 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Independence 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 MI040201050303-02 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Marquette County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Independence
Where is Lake Independence?
- Lake Independence is a lake in Marquette 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 Independence?
- Lake Independence in Marquette County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 2071 acres.
Is Lake Independence safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Independence is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Independence?
- Lake Independence has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 2071 acres.
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Where this data comes from
47 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
NALMS47 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