Oxbow Lake
Oakland County, Michigan290 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 · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 72 ft max depth
- Limited data
Oxbow Lake in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 290 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.3 ft
- Max depth
- 72 ft
- Area
- 290 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Oxbow Lake’s letter
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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.
Why Oxbow Lake has no grade
Oxbow 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, Oxbow Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 14.3-foot median from 52 readings collected 2016–2022 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.
Oxbow Lake is a 290-acre lake in Oakland County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 72 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Oxbow Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.3 ft of visibility
- Deep water72 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Oxbow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Oxbow Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.3 ft. TSI 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft |
| Surface Area | 290 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Oxbow Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.173 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.13 µg/L/yr | 7 |
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)
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.
Graded lakes near Oxbow Lake
Oxbow Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Oakland County
Frequently asked questions about Oxbow Lake
Where is Oxbow Lake?
- Oxbow 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 Oxbow Lake?
- Oxbow Lake in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 290 acres.
Is Oxbow Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Oxbow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Oxbow Lake?
- Oxbow Lake has a maximum depth of 72 feet. The lake covers 290 acres.
What fish are in Oxbow Lake?
- Fish species found in Oxbow Lake include Lake herring. Oxbow Lake is located in Oakland County, Michigan.
Explore Oxbow Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS52 samples · 2016–2022
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)