Ore Lake
Livingston County, Michigan229 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 9 in the county
- 81 ft max depth
- Public access
Ore Lake in Livingston County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 81 ft. Surface area: 229.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Typical in September
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 81 ft
- Area
- 229 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 22 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Ore Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ore Lake in Livingston County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Ore Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
Watch Ore Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Free interactive depth-contour map of Ore Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 81 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Ore Lake is a 229-acre mesotrophic lake in Livingston County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 81 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including Blackside darter, Brook silverside, and Greenside darter. Public access is available. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Livingston County, Ore Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Ore Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Deep water81 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Ore Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pFAS, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.8 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Ore Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 53°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 56°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 288 field readings (2017–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ore Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 81 ft |
| Surface Area | 229 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ore Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.61 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.75 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.27 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Ore 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 MI040900050112-05 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.3 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Ore Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Brighton WwtpBrighton · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MI0020877MajorRecent violation
- Mdeq-Holly Road Site GwcuBrighton · 3.3 mi away · NPDES MI0058344Recent violation
- Brighton Twp WwtpBrighton · 3.5 mi away · NPDES MI0054968Recent violation
- Metaldyne-HamburgHamburg · 1.8 mi away · NPDES MI0043737
- Green Oak Police StationBrighton · 2.3 mi away · NPDES MIG080404
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 9 lakes in Livingston County
Nearby Lakes in Livingston County
Frequently asked questions about Ore Lake
Where is Ore Lake?
- Ore Lake is a lake in Livingston County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Ore Lake?
- Ore Lake in Livingston County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 81 ft. Surface area: 229.2 acres.
Is Ore Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Ore Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides, pFAS, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Ore Lake?
- Ore Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in September, from 288 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ore Lake?
- Ore Lake has a maximum depth of 81 feet. The lake covers 229.2 acres.
What fish are in Ore Lake?
- Fish species found in Ore Lake include Blackside darter, Brook silverside, Greenside darter, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Mimic shiner, Northern hog sucker, Northern logperch, Sand shiner, Shorthead redhorse, Silver shiner, Striped shiner, Yellow perch. Ore Lake is located in Livingston County, Michigan.
Explore Ore Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Livingston County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
173 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS173 samples · 2016–2023
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)