Louis Lake
Dickinson County, Michigan230 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 9 in the county
- Limited data
Louis Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 230 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Area
- 230 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 8 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Louis Lake’s letter
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Louis Lake is a 230-acre mesotrophic lake in Dickinson County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Lake herring and Smallmouth bass. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Dickinson County, Louis Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Louis Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
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. Louis Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 37. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 230 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Louis Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Louis Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.048 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.88 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.43 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Louis Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Mary Lake Dam, built primarily for other on the Hamilton Creek; concrete-type dam, 7 ft tall and 237 ft long.
- Surface area
- 230 ac
- Normal storage
- 350 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 764 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 15.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Waucedah Township
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI01247 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.7 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Louis Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040301080407-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.72 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 9 lakes in Dickinson County
Nearby Lakes in Dickinson County
Frequently asked questions about Louis Lake
Where is Louis Lake?
- Louis Lake is a lake in Dickinson County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Louis Lake?
- Louis Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 230 acres.
Is Louis Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Louis Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Louis Lake?
- Fish species found in Louis Lake include Lake herring, Smallmouth bass. Louis Lake is located in Dickinson County, Michigan.
Explore Louis Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
76 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS76 samples · 2016–2022
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