Perch Lake
Iron County, Michigan1,046 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #4 of 21 in the county
- 14 ft max depth
Perch Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 1046.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in September
- 67°F
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 1,046 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 24 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4.8 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
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Watch Perch Lake’s letter
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Perch Lake is a 1,046-acre mesotrophic lake in Iron County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Perch Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-08-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Perch Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water1,046 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Perch Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.8 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Perch Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2016–2016) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Perch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,046 acres |
Fishing Perch Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.022 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.52 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.31 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Perch Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040201040104-05 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.32 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 21 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Perch Lake
Where is Perch Lake?
- Perch Lake is a lake in Iron County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Perch Lake?
- Perch Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 1046.2 acres.
Is Perch Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Perch Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Perch Lake?
- Perch Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2016). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Perch Lake?
- Perch Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 1046.2 acres.
Explore Perch Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
145 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS145 samples · 2016–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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