Paw Paw Lake
Hillsdale County, Michigan14 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.
- Limited data
Paw Paw Lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Surface area: 14.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Area
- 14 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Paw Paw Lake’s letter
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Why Paw Paw Lake has no grade
Paw Paw 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, Paw Paw Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 8-foot median from 23 readings collected 2021–2023 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.
Paw Paw Lake is a 14-acre lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Bluegill, Bowfin, and Brook silverside.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-07-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Paw Paw Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing4 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Paw Paw Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. TSI 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Paw Paw Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Paw Paw Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.175 m/yr | 3 |
Graded lakes near Paw Paw Lake
Paw Paw Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Hillsdale County
Frequently asked questions about Paw Paw Lake
Where is Paw Paw Lake?
- Paw Paw Lake is a lake in Hillsdale 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 Paw Paw Lake?
- Paw Paw Lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Surface area: 14.3 acres.
Is Paw Paw Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What fish are in Paw Paw Lake?
- Fish species found in Paw Paw Lake include Bluegill, Bowfin, Brook silverside, Grass pickerel. Paw Paw Lake is located in Hillsdale County, Michigan.
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Where this data comes from
23 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS23 samples · 2021–2023
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.