Margrethe Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crawford County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Crawford County, Margrethe Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2023-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Margrethe Lake
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Fishing Margrethe Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +2.28 m/yr | 2 |
Recreation & Access
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Margrethe Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 65 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 6 lakes in Crawford County
Nearby Lakes in Crawford County
Explore Margrethe Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Crawford County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Roscommon County · Clarity: 34.5 ft
Kalkaska County · Clarity: 36.5 ft
Roscommon County · Clarity: 34 ft
Kalkaska County · Clarity: 33 ft
Kalkaska County · Clarity: 19 ft
Kalkaska County · Clarity: 19.5 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Margrethe 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 MI040601030104-04 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Margrethe Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Harrietta-Grayling Fish HatchGrayling · 4.5 mi away · NPDES MI0059209Recent violation
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2023-09-08
Monitoring stations: 1