Manistee North Lake
Manistee County, MichiganView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Manistee North Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
Manistee North Lake in Manistee County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 16.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.9 µg/L.
Manistee North Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Manistee County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Manistee County, Manistee North Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2026-06-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Manistee North Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Manistee North Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Manistee North Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Manistee North Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 16.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 0.9 µg/L. TSI 37.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 16.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 0.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 37 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Manistee North Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Manistee North Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Feb (about 34°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (34°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 755 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Manistee North Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Manistee North Lake
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Fishing Manistee North Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 9 years of monitoring (2016–2025).
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.45 µg/L/yr9 years
Chlorophyll-a
0 µg/L/yr9 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Manistee North Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Morton SaltManistee · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MI0001503MajorRecent violation
- Morton International IncManistee · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MI0002470
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.
Nearby Lakes in Manistee County
Frequently asked questions about Manistee North Lake
Where is Manistee North Lake?
- Manistee North Lake is a lake in Manistee County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Manistee North Lake?
- Manistee North Lake in Manistee County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 16.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.9 µg/L.
Is Manistee North Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Manistee North Lake?
- Manistee North Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 755 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Manistee North Lake?
- Public access to Manistee North Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Michigan's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Manistee North Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
542 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_WQX542 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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)