What is the water quality grade for Portage Lake?

Portage Lake in St. Joseph County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of D (Poor). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility.

Is Portage Lake safe to swim in?

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk. Portage Lake has an overall water quality grade of D. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What fish are in Portage Lake?

Fish species found in Portage Lake include Chestnut lamprey, Common shiner, Rainbow darter. Portage Lake is located in St. Joseph County, Wisconsin.

Portage Lake

St. Joseph County, WisconsinLimited DataEutrophic

Portage Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Joseph County, MI. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2022. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Chestnut lamprey, Common shiner, and Rainbow darter. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in St. Joseph County, Portage Lake ranks #8 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2022-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 55.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	4.5 ft	D
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)	55	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Fish Species

Chestnut lamprey Common shiner Rainbow darter

Click a species to see all Wisconsin and Minnesota lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Portage Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Portage Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

→ Portage Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #8 of 13 lakes in St. Joseph County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Portage Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in St. Joseph County

Corey Lake

St. Joseph County

Corey Lake Southeastern Basin; Fabius Township

St. Joseph County

Klinger Lake Central Basin; White Pigeon Township Section 1

St. Joseph County

Fishers Lake North Central Basin; Park Township

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Wisconsin

Top 25 by overall water quality score

Best swimming lakes in Wisconsin

Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in Wisconsin

Panfish-rich, public access

All Wisconsin lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin

Kimball Lake

Newaygo County · Clarity: 4.5 ft

Community College Pond

Chippewa County · Clarity: 1.5 ft

Little Beaver Lake

Alger County · Clarity: 6.2 ft

Van Etten Lake

Iosco County · Clarity: 5.5 ft

South Pond

Chippewa County · Clarity: 1.3 ft

Eagle Lake

Cass County · Clarity: 6 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Kimball Lake Van Etten Lake North Central Basin; Oscoda Township Community College Pond Pentwater Lake Northwest Basin; Pentwater Township

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2022-09-14

Monitoring stations: 1