Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township
Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Surface area: 43.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.5 ft
- Mean depth
- ~10 ft est.
- Area
- 44 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford 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 Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.
Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township is a 44-acre lake in Oakland County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 10 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford 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 Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 16.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.5 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township in Oakland 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 Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 44 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Michigan has not published bathymetry for Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township.
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
- Lower Pettibone LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -9 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township 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 MI040900050107-05 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.41 km)
Graded lakes near Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township
Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Oakland County
Frequently asked questions about Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township
Where is Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township?
- Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township is a lake in Oakland County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township?
- Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township in Oakland County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Surface area: 43.7 acres.
Is Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 10 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 43.7 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township?
- Sears Lake Central Basin; Milford Township has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lower Pettibone Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2018–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS7 samples · 2018–2019
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