Lower Woodcock Lake
Benzie County, Michigan22 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
- Limited data
Lower Woodcock Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.3 ft visibility. Surface area: 21.8 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.3 ft
- Area
- 22 acres
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Stays near Lower Woodcock Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lower Woodcock Lake in Benzie 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 Lower Woodcock Lake
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Watch Lower Woodcock Lake’s letter
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Why Lower Woodcock Lake has no grade
Lower Woodcock 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, Lower Woodcock Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 12.3-foot median from 9 readings collected 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.
Lower Woodcock Lake is a 22-acre lake in Benzie County, Michigan. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, and Creek chub.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lower Woodcock Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.3 ft of visibility
- Fishing9 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lower Woodcock Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lower Woodcock Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.3 ft. TSI 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 22 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lower Woodcock Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lower Woodcock Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Lower Woodcock 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 MI040601040202-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.91 km)
Graded lakes near Lower Woodcock Lake
Lower Woodcock Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Lower Woodcock Lake
Where is Lower Woodcock Lake?
- Lower Woodcock Lake is a lake in Benzie 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 Lower Woodcock Lake?
- Lower Woodcock Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.3 ft visibility. Surface area: 21.8 acres.
Is Lower Woodcock Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lower Woodcock Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Lower Woodcock Lake?
- Fish species found in Lower Woodcock Lake include Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, Creek chub, Hornyhead chub, Mimic shiner, Northern longear sunfish, Rock bass, Rosyface shiner, Sand shiner. Lower Woodcock Lake is located in Benzie County, Michigan.
Explore Lower Woodcock Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Lower Woodcock Lake is about 17 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
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS9 samples · 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