Louise Lake
Dickinson County, Michigan230 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 57 ft max depth
- Limited data
Louise Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 230 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 230 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Louise Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Louise Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Louise Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
Watch Louise Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Free interactive depth-contour map of Louise Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 57 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Louise Lake has no grade
Louise Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Louise Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 13.5-foot median from 64 readings collected 2016–2022 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Louise Lake is a 230-acre lake in Dickinson County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Louise Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
- Deep water57 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Louise Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Louise Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. TSI 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 230 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Louise 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)
Louise 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 (0.62 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Louise 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 (1.81 km)
Graded lakes near Louise Lake
Louise Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Dickinson County
Frequently asked questions about Louise Lake
Where is Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake is a lake in Dickinson County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 230 acres.
Is Louise Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Louise Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 230 acres.
What fish are in Louise Lake?
- Fish species found in Louise Lake include Lake herring. Louise Lake is located in Dickinson County, Michigan.
Explore Louise Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Dickinson County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Upper Peninsula area
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
64 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS64 samples · 2016–2022
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