Shavehead Lake
Cass County, Michigan294 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — 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. No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- 70 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Shavehead Lake in Cass County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 293.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Max depth
- 70 ft
- Area
- 294 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Shavehead Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Shavehead Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Shavehead Lake 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 Shavehead Lake, 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.
Shavehead Lake is a 294-acre lake in Cass County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 70 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 25 documented fish species including Black crappie, Blackchin shiner, and Blacknose shiner. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Shavehead Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing25 species recorded
- Deep water70 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Shavehead Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 70 ft |
| Surface Area | 294 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- West Harmon ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shavehead Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.194 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Graded lakes near Shavehead Lake
Shavehead Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Shavehead Lake
Where is Shavehead Lake?
- Shavehead Lake is a lake in Cass County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — 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.
What is the water quality grade for Shavehead Lake?
- Shavehead Lake in Cass County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 293.5 acres.
Is Shavehead Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Shavehead Lake?
- Shavehead Lake has a maximum depth of 70 feet. The lake covers 293.5 acres.
What fish are in Shavehead Lake?
- Fish species found in Shavehead Lake include Black crappie, Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brook silverside, Brown bullhead, Golden shiner, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake chubsucker, Lake herring, Largemouth bass, Mimic shiner, Northern logperch, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Tadpole madtom, Warmouth, Western blacknose dace, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Shavehead Lake is located in Cass County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Shavehead Lake?
- Shavehead Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include West Harmon Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Shavehead Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
161 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS161 samples · 2016–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory