Legion Lake
Alger County, Michigan36 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #3 of 8 in the county
- 35 ft max depth
Legion Lake in Alger County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 35.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 36 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Stays near Legion Lake
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Watch Legion Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Legion Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Legion Lake is a 36-acre mesotrophic lake in Alger County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Alger County, Legion Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2024-08-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Legion Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.1 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Legion Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 63°F) and coldest in Jun (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 737 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Legion Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 36 acres |
Fishing Legion Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 9 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.038 m/yr | 9 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.28 µg/L/yr | 8 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 8 lakes in Alger County
Nearby Lakes in Alger County
Frequently asked questions about Legion Lake
Where is Legion Lake?
- Legion Lake is a lake in Alger County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Legion Lake?
- Legion Lake in Alger County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 35.9 acres.
Is Legion Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Legion Lake?
- Legion Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 737 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Legion Lake?
- Legion Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 35.9 acres.
Explore Legion Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Planning a trip around Pictured Rocks?
Legion Lake is about 3 miles from Pictured Rocks 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 Pictured Rocks →More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
54 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX54 samples · 2016–2024
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.