Lake of the Woods is a mesotrophic lake in Branch County, Michigan. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, and Bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Branch County, Lake of the Woods ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2022-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B, Good
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | B |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Lake of the Woods
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake of the Woods
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +2.585 m/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Recreation & Access
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake of the Woods, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 5 lakes in Branch County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Lake of the Woods holds Grade B. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
Nearby Lakes in Branch County
Explore Lake of the Woods across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Branch County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Michigan
Kalamazoo County · Clarity: 9.5 ft
St. Joseph County · Clarity: 10.5 ft
Kalamazoo County · Clarity: 8 ft
Jackson County · Clarity: 11.5 ft
Kalamazoo County · Clarity: 7 ft
Kalamazoo County · Clarity: 7.2 ft
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Lake of the Woods is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040500010107-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.48 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2022-09-14
Monitoring stations: 1