Little Bass Lake
Lake County, Michigan53 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- #6 of 7 in the county
Little Bass Lake in Lake County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Surface area: 53 acres.
- Clarity
- 18.3 ft
- Typical in September
- 64°F
- Area
- 53 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Little Bass Lake’s letter
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Little Bass Lake is a 53-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Little Bass Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Little Bass Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water18.3 ft of visibility
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Little Bass Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 18.3 ft down. Phosphorus 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.1 µg/L. TSI 36. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Little Bass Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 345 field readings (2021–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Bass Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 53 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Little Bass Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Bass Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.131 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.17 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.8 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Bass Lake 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 MI040601010101-03 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.34 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 7 lakes in Lake County
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Little Bass Lake
Where is Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass Lake is a lake in Lake County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass Lake in Lake County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Surface area: 53 acres.
Is Little Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Little Bass Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Bass Lake?
- Little Bass Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 345 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Little Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Bass Lake include Lake herring. Little Bass Lake is located in Lake County, Michigan.
Explore Little Bass Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
70 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS70 samples · 2021–2023
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database