South Lake
Branch County, Michigan158 acresView mapDirections
No nutrient or algae sampling on record from EGLE for this lake.
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
South Lake in Branch County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 158.4 acres.
Water clarity at South Lake
Moderate clarity. Across summers from 2018 to 2023, South Lake averaged 1.9 m (6 ft) of visibility down into the water, so visibility is middling in midsummer, which is ordinary for a productive inland lake.
Nobody has taken a water sample here that we can find. Michigan's environmental agency measures clarity on lakes like this one from satellite images instead, which is why this page reports how clear the water is and no phosphorus or algae readings.
Clear is not the same as clean. A lake can be easy to see through and still carry high nutrient levels, and a naturally tea-stained lake can be perfectly healthy. The nutrient and algae readings on other lakes come from phosphorus and chlorophyll-a measured in a laboratory, and clarity alone cannot stand in for them.
The same satellite images put summer algae here at roughly 11.14 micrograms per litre. Estimating algae from orbit is far less exact than measuring clarity, so that figure is worth knowing and is not part of any rating.
South Lake is a 158-acre lake in Branch County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 18 feet (9-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What South Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
No readingNot rated
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether South 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 Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for South Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. TSI undefined.
Ask about South Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Average depth
9 ft
Surface area
158 acres
Shoreline
1.6 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Recreation & Access
- Branch County Memorial ParkPublic
- Harbor Cove ResortSemi-private
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 South Lake
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Fishing South Lake
Nearby Lakes in Branch County
Frequently asked questions about South Lake
Where is South Lake?
- South Lake is a lake in Branch County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of South Lake?
- South Lake in Branch County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 158.4 acres.
Is South Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is South Lake?
- South Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet and an average depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 158.4 acres.
Are there boat ramps on South Lake?
- South Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Branch County Memorial Park, Harbor Cove Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at South Lake?
- South Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 South Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for South Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory