Spider Lake
Grand Traverse County, Michigan445 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #4 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Spider Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 445 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Typical in September
- 68°F
- Area
- 445 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 7.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Spider Lake
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Watch Spider Lake’s letter
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Spider Lake is a 445-acre mesotrophic lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Largemouth bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Grand Traverse County, Spider Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Spider Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Spider Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.2 µg/L. TSI 39. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Spider Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 152 field readings (2019–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spider Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 445 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Spider Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spider Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.387 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.2 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Spider 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 MI040601050506-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.06 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in Grand Traverse County
Nearby Lakes in Grand Traverse County
Frequently asked questions about Spider Lake
Where is Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake is a lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Surface area: 445 acres.
Is Spider Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Spider Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 152 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Spider Lake?
- Fish species found in Spider Lake include Largemouth bass. Spider Lake is located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Explore Spider Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Spider Lake is about 31 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 Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
70 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_MICORPS70 samples · 2017–2023
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database