Sawyer Lake
Dickinson County, Michigan241 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Sawyer Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sawyer Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 241 acres.
Sawyer Lake is a 241-acre mesotrophic lake in Dickinson County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Bluegill, Golden shiner, and Iowa darter. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Dickinson County, Sawyer Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2017-09-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Sawyer Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing8 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sawyer 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 Sawyer Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Sawyer Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Sawyer Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
20 ft
Surface area
241 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Recreation & Access
- County ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Sawyer Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sawyer Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2016–2017). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+7 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sawyer Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sawyer Lake Dam, built primarily for recreation on the Tributary to Weber Creek; earth-type dam, 7 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 241 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 385 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Dickinson County Road Commission
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MI01252 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.5 km)
Nearby Lakes in Dickinson County
Frequently asked questions about Sawyer Lake
Where is Sawyer Lake?
- Sawyer Lake is a lake in Dickinson County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sawyer Lake?
- Sawyer Lake in Dickinson County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 241 acres.
Is Sawyer Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sawyer Lake?
- Sawyer Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 241 acres.
What fish are in Sawyer Lake?
- Fish species found in Sawyer Lake include Bluegill, Golden shiner, Iowa darter, Largemouth bass, Pumpkinseed, Smallmouth bass, White sucker, Yellow perch. Sawyer Lake is located in Dickinson County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Sawyer Lake?
- Sawyer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include County Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Sawyer Lake?
- Sawyer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Michigan's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Sawyer Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS40 samples · 2016–2017
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory