Perrin Lake
Perrin Lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Surface area: 109 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Mean depth
- ~12 ft est.
- Area
- 109 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Perrin Lake is a 109-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2019. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in St. Joseph County, Perrin Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus level: 9.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Perrin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Perrin Lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Perrin Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 109 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Michigan has not published bathymetry for Perrin Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Perrin LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Perrin Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.135 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Perrin 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 MI040500010704-04 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.77 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 8 lakes in St. Joseph County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Perrin Lake holds Grade B. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in St. Joseph County
Frequently asked questions about Perrin Lake
Where is Perrin Lake?
- Perrin Lake is a lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Perrin Lake?
- Perrin Lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Surface area: 109 acres.
Is Perrin Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Perrin Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Perrin Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Perrin Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 12 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 109 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Perrin Lake?
- Perrin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Perrin Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Perrin Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Other Grade B Lakes in Michigan
Allegan County · 13 ft
Washtenaw County · 11 ft
Livingston County · 7 ft
Livingston County · 10 ft
Muskegon County · 10 ft
Isabella County · 6.5 ft
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS56 samples · 2016–2019
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory