Manitou Lake East Central Basin
Manitou Lake East Central Basin in Shiawassee County, Michigan has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.6 µg/L. Surface area: 80 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Mean depth
- ~9 ft est.
- Area
- 80 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Manitou Lake East Central Basin is a 80-acre mesotrophic lake in Shiawassee County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 9 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2019. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Shiawassee County, Manitou Lake East Central Basin ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 29 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Manitou Lake East Central Basin
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 80 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Michigan has not published bathymetry for Manitou Lake East Central Basin.
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.
Fishing Manitou Lake East Central Basin
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.387 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5.1 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.6 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Manitou Lake East Central Basin is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Manitou Dam (completed 1973), built primarily for recreation on the Tributary to Spring Brook; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 370 ft long.
- Surface area
- 80 ac
- Normal storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 470 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Lake Manitou Residents Association
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00401 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.32 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Shiawassee County
Nearby Lakes in Shiawassee County
Frequently asked questions about Manitou Lake East Central Basin
Where is Manitou Lake East Central Basin?
- Manitou Lake East Central Basin is a lake in Shiawassee County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Manitou Lake East Central Basin?
- Manitou Lake East Central Basin in Shiawassee County, Michigan has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.6 µg/L. Surface area: 80 acres.
Is Manitou Lake East Central Basin safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Manitou Lake East Central Basin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Manitou Lake East Central Basin?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Manitou Lake East Central Basin, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 9 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 80 acres.
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Where this data comes from
100 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS100 samples · 2016–2019
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)