Oxbow Lake is a 290-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Oakland County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring. Public access is available. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Oakland County, Oxbow Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2022-09-17. 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 15 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 290 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Where to stay near Oxbow Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Oxbow Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.885 m/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Oxbow Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 72 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 45 lakes in Oakland County
Nearby Lakes in Oakland County
Explore Oxbow Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Oakland 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
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Livingston County · Clarity: 10 ft
Livingston County · Excellent
Washtenaw County · Clarity: 11.5 ft
Lapeer County · Clarity: 14.5 ft
Washtenaw County · Clarity: 12 ft
Jackson County · Clarity: 10 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Oxbow Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Oxbow Dam (completed 1964), built primarily for recreation on the Huron River; earth-type dam, 15 ft tall and 255 ft long.
- Surface area
- 290 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,900 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 25.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Oakland County Drain Commissioner
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00263 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Oxbow 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 MI040900050101-04 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.87 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Oxbow Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Oakland Co Dfw-Sub Knolls WwtpHighland · 1 mi away · NPDES MI0023728Recent violation
- White Lake TownshipWhite Lake · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MIG610278
- Mcpherson Oil Co.-HighlandHighland · 4.9 mi away · NPDES MIG080410
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
Most recent sample: 2022-09-17
Monitoring stations: 1