Manistee Lake South
Manistee County, MichiganView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #12 of 13 in the county
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
Manistee Lake South in Manistee County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 18.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.5 µg/L.
- Typical in September
- 66°F
- Max depth
- ~40 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 18.2 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 0.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Manistee Lake South’s letter
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Manistee Lake South is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Manistee County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 40 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Chestnut lamprey, Flathead catfish, and Golden shiner. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Manistee County, Manistee Lake South ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2026-06-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Manistee Lake South is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria advisory
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. Manistee Lake South is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pathogens (E. coli, fecal), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 18.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 0.5 µg/L. TSI 35. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 18.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 0.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Manistee Lake South typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in Feb (about 34°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,268 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Manistee Lake South water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~40 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Michigan has not published bathymetry for Manistee Lake South.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- 2nd AvenuePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Manistee Lake South
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 9 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.57 µg/L/yr | 9 |
EPA Impairment Status
Manistee Lake South 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 MI040601030705-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.91 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Manistee Lake South under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 3 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Manistee WwtpManistee · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MI0020362MajorRecent violation
- Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties Co., LlcManistee · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MI0004154MajorRecent violation
- Pca-Filer City MillFiler City · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MI0001171MajorRecent violation
- General Chem Corp-ManisteeManistee · 0.3 mi away · NPDES MI0054992
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 13 lakes in Manistee County
Nearby Lakes in Manistee County
Frequently asked questions about Manistee Lake South
Where is Manistee Lake South?
- Manistee Lake South is a lake in Manistee County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Manistee Lake South?
- Manistee Lake South in Manistee County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 18.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.5 µg/L.
Is Manistee Lake South safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Manistee Lake South is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, pathogens (E. coli, fecal), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Manistee Lake South?
- Manistee Lake South typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 1,268 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Manistee Lake South?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Manistee Lake South, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 40 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
What fish are in Manistee Lake South?
- Fish species found in Manistee Lake South include Chestnut lamprey, Flathead catfish, Golden shiner, Iowa darter, Northern logperch, Rock bass, Western banded killifish. Manistee Lake South is located in Manistee County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Manistee Lake South?
- Manistee Lake South has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include 2nd Avenue. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Manistee Lake South across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
855 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
LRBOI_WQX855 samples · 2016–2026
Analytical methods
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory