Rose Lake
Branch County, MichiganView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Rose Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
Rose Lake in Branch County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
Rose Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Branch County, Michigan. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Rose Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rose Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Rose Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Rose Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Rose Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.3 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Rose Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Rose Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 58°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 63°F) and coldest in Mar (about 41°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (41°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 334 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rose Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Rose Lake
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Fishing Rose Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2019–2023).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.5 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Rose Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040500010107-02 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Rose Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Mdot-Coldwater Welcome CenterColdwater · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MIG960014
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Branch County
Frequently asked questions about Rose Lake
Where is Rose Lake?
- Rose Lake is a lake in Branch County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Rose Lake?
- Rose Lake in Branch County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
Is Rose Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rose Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Rose Lake?
- Rose Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 334 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Rose Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
84 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS84 samples · 2019–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)