Payne Lake
Barry County, MichiganView 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.
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Payne Lake in Barry County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 43 ft.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Payne Lake
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Watch Payne Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Payne Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 43 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Payne Lake has no grade
Payne 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, Payne Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 10.5-foot median from 61 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.
Payne Lake is a lake in Barry County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Payne Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Deep water43 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Payne Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. TSI 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Payne LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Payne Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.698 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Payne Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Gun Lake WwtpShelbyville · 3.8 mi away · NPDES MI0042501Recent violation
- Wds Ventures LlcMiddleville · 0.5 mi away · NPDES MIG080967
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 Payne Lake
Payne Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Barry County
Frequently asked questions about Payne Lake
Where is Payne Lake?
- Payne Lake is a lake in Barry 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 Payne Lake?
- Payne Lake in Barry County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 43 ft.
Is Payne Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Payne Lake?
- Payne Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet.
Are there boat ramps on Payne Lake?
- Payne Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Payne Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Payne Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
61 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
NALMS61 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory