What is the water quality grade for Otter Lake?

Otter Lake in Oakland County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility.

Is Otter Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Otter Lake has an overall water quality grade of B. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What fish are in Otter Lake?

Fish species found in Otter Lake include Bigmouth shiner, Black bullhead, Black crappie, Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brown bullhead, Burbot, Golden shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake sturgeon, Largemouth bass, Longnose sucker, Mimic shiner, Northern logperch, Northern pike, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Sauger, Shorthead redhorse, Silver lamprey, Silver redhorse, Smallmouth bass, Spottail shiner, Trout-perch, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow perch. Otter Lake is located in Oakland County, Wisconsin.

Otter Lake

Oakland County, WisconsinLimited DataMesotrophic

Otter Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Oakland County, MI. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 30 documented fish species including Bigmouth shiner, Black bullhead, and Black crappie. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Oakland County, Otter Lake ranks #23 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2021-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Water Quality Grade: B, Good

Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	10 ft	B
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)	44	Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Fish Species

Click a species to see all Wisconsin and Minnesota lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Otter Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Otter Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

→ Otter Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #23 of 45 lakes in Oakland County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Otter Lake holds Grade B. One nearby lake has a higher grade.

A
Cass Lake South Central Basin; W. Bloomfield Township Section 3
Oakland County · 2.1 mi · Higher grade (B → A)

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Oakland County

Square Lake Central Basin; Bloomfield Township

Maceday Lake Central Basin; Waterford Township Section 7

Oakland County

Cass Lake South Central Basin; W. Bloomfield Township Section 3

Oakland County

Lake Orion East Central Basin; Orion Township Section 11

Oakland County

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Wisconsin

Top 25 by overall water quality score

Best swimming lakes in Wisconsin

Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in Wisconsin

Panfish-rich, public access

All Wisconsin lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin

Middle Lake; Elba Township; Section 13

Lapeer County · Clarity: 9.5 ft

Portage Lake

Livingston County · Clarity: 13 ft

Bear Lake East Basin; Pleasanton Township

Manistee County · Clarity: 11 ft

Bass Lake

Lake County · Clarity: 14 ft

Long Lake

Cass County · Clarity: 10.5 ft

Byram Lake West Central Basin; Fenton Township

Genesee County · Clarity: 10 ft

Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Middle Lake; Elba Township; Section 13 Portage Lake Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township Chippewa Lake Northeast Basin; Chippewa Township

EPA Impairment Status

Otter Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040900050104-06 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.71 km)

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2021-09-18

Monitoring stations: 1