Little Paw Paw Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Berrien County, Michigan. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Berrien County, Little Paw Paw Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2021-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Little Paw Paw Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Paw Paw Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.37 m/yr | 2 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Berrien County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Little Paw Paw Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
Nearby Lakes in Berrien County
Explore Little Paw Paw Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Berrien County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Michigan
Van Buren County · Very Poor
Cass County · Very Poor
Allegan County · Clarity: 3 ft
St. Joseph County · Clarity: 3 ft
St. Joseph County · Clarity: 3 ft
Ottawa County · Clarity: 3 ft
Eutrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Little Paw Paw Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040500012505-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.22 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Little Paw Paw Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Orchard Hill Landfill-WatervlietWatervliet · 3.4 mi away · NPDES MI0058853Recent violation
- Bp Products North America IncWatervliet · 3 mi away · NPDES MIG080170
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2021-09-15
Monitoring stations: 1