Pearl Lake
Benzie County, Michigan303 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.
- Public access
- Limited data
Pearl Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Surface area: 302.6 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Area
- 303 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Pearl Lake’s letter
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Why Pearl Lake has no grade
Pearl 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, Pearl Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 13-foot median from 16 readings collected 2021 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.
Pearl Lake is a 303-acre lake in Benzie County, Michigan. Overall water quality 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 2021-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Pearl Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Pearl Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. TSI 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 303 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Pearl Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Pearl LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Pearl Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +5.65 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Graded lakes near Pearl Lake
Pearl Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Pearl Lake
Where is Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake is a lake in Benzie 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 Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Surface area: 302.6 acres.
Is Pearl Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pearl Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pearl Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Pearl Lake is about 13 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More Michigan Lake Rankings
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS16 samples · 2021
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory