Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township
Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Surface area: 417 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Area
- 417 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
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Why Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township, 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. Sampling here has recorded water clarity and phosphorus, but not algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. 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.
Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township is a 417-acre lake in Oakland County, Michigan. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Fathead minnow, Golden shiner, and Western blacknose dace.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2018-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township water quality
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedBacteria advisory
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 53 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 417 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.163 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.09 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.6 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Waterford Multi-Lakes Level Control (completed 1973), built primarily for recreation on the Clinton River; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 417 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 37 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Oakland County Drain Commissioner
All listed purposes: Recreation;Other.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI00275 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.81 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township 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 MI040900030103-12 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.23 km)
Nearby Lakes in Oakland County
Frequently asked questions about Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township
Where is Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township?
- Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township is a lake in Oakland County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township?
- Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Surface area: 417 acres.
Is Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What fish are in Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township?
- Fish species found in Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township include Fathead minnow, Golden shiner, Western blacknose dace. Rainbow Pond; Waterford Township is located in Oakland County, Michigan.
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS8 samples · 2018
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