Spectacle Lake
Chippewa County, Michigan84 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Spectacle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 5 ft max depth
Spectacle Lake in Chippewa County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 84.4 acres.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Spectacle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 5 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Spectacle Lake is a 84-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Chippewa County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 5 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Chippewa County, Spectacle Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2025-10-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Spectacle Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 5 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Michigan’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Spectacle 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 Spectacle Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Spectacle 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. Phosphorus 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.8 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 29µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.8µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Spectacle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Spectacle Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in Feb (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (35°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 175 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spectacle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
5 ft
Surface area
84 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.7 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
627 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Spectacle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spectacle Lake in Chippewa 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 Spectacle Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
Follow Spectacle Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Spectacle Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 10 years of monitoring (2016–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.76 µg/L/yr9 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+27.24 µg/L/yr3 years
Nearby Lakes in Chippewa County
Frequently asked questions about Spectacle Lake
Where is Spectacle Lake?
- Spectacle Lake is a lake in Chippewa County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Spectacle Lake?
- Spectacle Lake in Chippewa County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 84.4 acres.
Is Spectacle Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Spectacle Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 5 samples across 3 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Spectacle Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Michigan's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Spectacle Lake?
- Spectacle Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 175 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spectacle Lake?
- Spectacle Lake has a maximum depth of 5 feet. The lake covers 84.4 acres.
Explore Spectacle Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Chippewa County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Upper Peninsula area
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings
Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Michigan
Other Lakes in Michigan
Eutrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
125 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan (Tribal)
BMIC_WQX125 samples · 2016–2025
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)