Lake Leelanau
Leelanau County, MichiganView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #2 of 12 in the county
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Leelanau in Leelanau County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Typical in September
- 61°F
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Leelanau
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Lake Leelanau is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Leelanau County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Leelanau County, Lake Leelanau ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-08-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Leelanau is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Leelanau is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.1 µg/L. TSI 35. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Lake Leelanau typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 58°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 61°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,893 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Leelanau water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~31 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Michigan has not published bathymetry for Lake Leelanau.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Township ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Leelanau
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.309 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.14 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.09 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Leelanau 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 MI040601040103-04 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.15 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 12 lakes in Leelanau County
Nearby Lakes in Leelanau County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Leelanau
Where is Lake Leelanau?
- Lake Leelanau is a lake in Leelanau County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Leelanau?
- Lake Leelanau in Leelanau County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
Is Lake Leelanau safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Leelanau is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Leelanau?
- Lake Leelanau typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September, from 1,893 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Leelanau?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Leelanau, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Leelanau?
- Lake Leelanau has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Township Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Leelanau across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Leelanau 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
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Lake Leelanau is about 16 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 Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
82 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS82 samples · 2016–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory