Lake of the Woods
Branch County, Michigan334 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 · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- 70 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake of the Woods in Branch County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 334 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Max depth
- 70 ft
- Area
- 334 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake of the Woods’s letter
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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.
Why Lake of the Woods has no grade
Lake of the Woods 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 of the Woods is Not Rated — not an F. Its 10-foot median from 52 readings collected 2019–2022 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 of the Woods is a 334-acre lake in Branch County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 70 feet. 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake of the Woods is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Deep water70 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake of the Woods is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake of the Woods
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. TSI 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 70 ft |
| Surface Area | 334 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.051 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
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)
Graded lakes near Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Branch County
Frequently asked questions about Lake of the Woods
Where is Lake of the Woods?
- Lake of the Woods is a lake in Branch 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 of the Woods?
- Lake of the Woods in Branch County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 334 acres.
Is Lake of the Woods safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake of the Woods is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake of the Woods?
- Lake of the Woods has a maximum depth of 70 feet. The lake covers 334 acres.
What fish are in Lake of the Woods?
- Fish species found in Lake of the Woods include Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Central mudminnow, Grass pickerel, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Least darter, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Redear sunfish, Spotted gar, Tadpole madtom, Western banded killifish, Yellow perch. Lake of the Woods is located in Branch County, Michigan.
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Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS52 samples · 2019–2022
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