Lake Whittlesey
Keweenaw County, Michigan151 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — 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. No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- 45 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lake Whittlesey in Keweenaw County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.3 µg/L. Surface area: 151.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.6 ft
- Typical in September
- 64°F
- Max depth
- ~45 ft est.
- Area
- 151 acres
- Phosphorus
- 23.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Lake Whittlesey’s letter
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Why Lake Whittlesey has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Lake Whittlesey, 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. Sampling here has recorded water clarity and phosphorus, but not algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. 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 Whittlesey is a 151-acre lake in Keweenaw County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 45 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Northern pike, and Shortjaw cisco.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2024-08-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Whittlesey is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.6 ft of visibility
- Fishing8 species recorded
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Whittlesey
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.6 ft. Phosphorus 23.3 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 23.3 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Lake Whittlesey typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in Jun (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 79 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Whittlesey water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~45 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 151 acres |
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 Whittlesey.
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
Public campgrounds near Lake Whittlesey
- Lake Whittlesey1.4 km
- Wood Lake3.6 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Whittlesey
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 9 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.004 m/yr | 9 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.15 µg/L/yr | 8 |
Graded lakes near Lake Whittlesey
Lake Whittlesey has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Keweenaw County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Whittlesey
Where is Lake Whittlesey?
- Lake Whittlesey is a lake in Keweenaw 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 Whittlesey?
- Lake Whittlesey in Keweenaw County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.3 µg/L. Surface area: 151.3 acres.
Is Lake Whittlesey safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Whittlesey?
- Lake Whittlesey typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 79 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Whittlesey?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Whittlesey, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 151.3 acres.
What fish are in Lake Whittlesey?
- Fish species found in Lake Whittlesey include Blacknose shiner, Northern pike, Shortjaw cisco, Spottail shiner, Trout-perch, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow perch. Lake Whittlesey is located in Keweenaw County, Michigan.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Whittlesey?
- Lake Whittlesey has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake Whittlesey, Wood Lake. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Lake Whittlesey across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX6 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Secchi Disk
- Alkaline Persulfate Digestion for Total N and P in Water
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles