South Bar Lake
Leelanau County, Michigan78 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for South Bar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 13 ft max depth
Ask about South Bar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
South Bar Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 77.7 acres.
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South Bar Lake is a 78-acre mesotrophic lake in Leelanau County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 13 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Leelanau County, South Bar Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether South Bar 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 South Bar Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for South Bar 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 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.8 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Metric | Value | EPA condition class |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 78 acres |
Fishing South Bar Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.27 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.95 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.71 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Nearby Lakes in Leelanau County
Frequently asked questions about South Bar Lake
Where is South Bar Lake?
- South Bar Lake is a lake in Leelanau County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of South Bar Lake?
- South Bar Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 77.7 acres.
Is South Bar Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is South Bar Lake?
- South Bar Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 77.7 acres.
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
South Bar Lake is about 8 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More lakes in Michigan
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Where this data comes from
156 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_MICORPS156 samples · 2016–2023
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.