Middle Straits Lake
Oakland County, Michigan180 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
- 55 ft max depth
- Limited data
Middle Straits Lake in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 180.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.3 ft
- Max depth
- 55 ft
- Area
- 180 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
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Stays near Middle Straits Lake
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Watch Middle Straits Lake’s letter
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Why Middle Straits Lake has no grade
Middle Straits 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, Middle Straits Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 10.3-foot median from 21 readings collected 2016–2021 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.
Middle Straits Lake is a 180-acre lake in Oakland County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 55 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Yellow bullhead.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Middle Straits Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.3 ft of visibility
- Deep water55 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Middle Straits Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Middle Straits Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.3 ft. TSI 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 55 ft |
| Surface Area | 180 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Middle Straits Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.364 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.08 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Middle Straits Lake 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 MI040900050102-07 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Middle Straits Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Commerce Twp MS4-OaklandCommerce Township · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MI0059375Recent violation
- Wolverine Lake MS4-OaklandWolverine Lake · 3 mi away · NPDES MI0059702Recent 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.
Graded lakes near Middle Straits Lake
Middle Straits Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Oakland County
Frequently asked questions about Middle Straits Lake
Where is Middle Straits Lake?
- Middle Straits Lake is a lake in Oakland 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 Middle Straits Lake?
- Middle Straits Lake in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 180.3 acres.
Is Middle Straits Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Middle Straits Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Middle Straits Lake?
- Middle Straits Lake has a maximum depth of 55 feet. The lake covers 180.3 acres.
What fish are in Middle Straits Lake?
- Fish species found in Middle Straits Lake include Yellow bullhead. Middle Straits Lake is located in Oakland County, Michigan.
Explore Middle Straits Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS21 samples · 2016–2021
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)