Lime Lake
Benzie County, Michigan16 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- #18 of 21 in the county
- 25 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lime Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 16.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.5 ft
- Typical in September
- 67°F
- Max depth
- 25 ft
- Area
- 16 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Lime Lake
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Watch Lime Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lime Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 25 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Lime Lake is a 16-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Benzie County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, and Brown bullhead. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Benzie County, Lime Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lime Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing15 species recorded
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. Phosphorus 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.3 µg/L. TSI 32. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 5 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Lime Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 80 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lime Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft |
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lime Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +5.65 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 21 lakes in Benzie County
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Lime Lake
Where is Lime Lake?
- Lime Lake is a lake in Benzie County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lime Lake?
- Lime Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 16.2 acres.
Is Lime Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lime Lake?
- Lime Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 80 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lime Lake?
- Lime Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 16.2 acres.
What fish are in Lime Lake?
- Fish species found in Lime Lake include Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brown bullhead, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish, Lake herring, Largemouth bass, Northern longear sunfish, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Warmouth, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Lime Lake is located in Benzie County, Michigan.
Explore Lime Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Benzie 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.
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Lime Lake is about 13 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
17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS17 samples · 2023
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)