Second Fortune Lake
Iron County, MichiganView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #19 of 21 in the county
- 80 ft max depth
- Limited data
Second Fortune Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 21 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 80 ft.
- Clarity
- 21 ft
- Max depth
- 80 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 7.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Second Fortune Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Second Fortune Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Second Fortune Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Iron County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 80 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Second Fortune Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-10-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Second Fortune Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water21 ft of visibility
- Deep water80 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Second Fortune Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 21 ft down. Phosphorus 7.5 µg/L. TSI 33. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 21 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 33 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 80 ft |
Fishing Second Fortune Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.757 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.46 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Second Fortune Lake 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 MI040301060407-08 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.38 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 21 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Second Fortune Lake
Where is Second Fortune Lake?
- Second Fortune Lake is a lake in Iron County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Second Fortune Lake?
- Second Fortune Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 21 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 80 ft.
Is Second Fortune Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Second Fortune Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Second Fortune Lake?
- Second Fortune Lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet.
Explore Second Fortune Lake across LakeQuality
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Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
73 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS73 samples · 2017–2023
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