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LakeQuality

Nowland Lake

Charlevoix County, Michigan123 acresView mapDirections

NR
Not rated

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.

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
9.5 ft
Secchi · sampled 2022
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Stable
3 years of samples
  • 15 ft max depth
  • Public access
  • Limited data

Nowland Lake in Charlevoix County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 123.3 acres.

Clarity
9.5 ft
Max depth
15 ft
Area
123 acres
Trend
Stable
Public access
Yes
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Watch Nowland Lake’s letter

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Free interactive depth-contour map of Nowland Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 15 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.

Why Nowland Lake has no grade

Nowland 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, Nowland Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 9.5-foot median from 15 readings collected 2021–2022 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.

Nowland Lake is a 123-acre lake in Charlevoix County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-08-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What Nowland Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Traverse City

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Water quality measurements for Nowland Lake

These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.

Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. TSI 45.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)9.5 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)45Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth15 ft
Surface Area123 acres
Public AccessYes

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Nowland LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Fishing Nowland Lake

Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+1.51 m/yr3
Phosphorus Declining+3 µg/L/yr2

Graded lakes near Nowland Lake

Nowland Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Charlevoix County

Frequently asked questions about Nowland Lake

Where is Nowland Lake?

Nowland Lake is a lake in Charlevoix 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 Nowland Lake?

Nowland Lake in Charlevoix County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 123.3 acres.

Is Nowland Lake safe to swim in?

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

How deep is Nowland Lake?

Nowland Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 123.3 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Nowland Lake?

Nowland Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nowland Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan

Where this data comes from

15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.

Collected and reported by

  • North American Lake Management SocietyNALMS15 samples · 2021–2022
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

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory