Squaw Lake
Kalkaska County, Michigan66 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Limited data
Squaw Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Surface area: 66.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Area
- 66 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
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Watch Squaw Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Squaw Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 5 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Squaw Lake has no grade
Squaw Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Squaw Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 15-foot median from 90 readings collected 2016–2022 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. 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.
Squaw Lake is a 66-acre lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Blacknose shiner, Bluntnose minnow, and Green sunfish.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Squaw Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15 ft of visibility
- Fishing8 species recorded
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Squaw Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. TSI 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 66 acres |
The available depth estimate for Squaw Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Squaw Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.917 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.02 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.41 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Graded lakes near Squaw Lake
Squaw Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Kalkaska County
Frequently asked questions about Squaw Lake
Where is Squaw Lake?
- Squaw Lake is a lake in Kalkaska 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 Squaw Lake?
- Squaw Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Surface area: 66.1 acres.
Is Squaw Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Squaw Lake?
- The available depth estimate for Squaw Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown. The lake covers 66.1 acres.
What fish are in Squaw Lake?
- Fish species found in Squaw Lake include Blacknose shiner, Bluntnose minnow, Green sunfish, Iowa darter, Largemouth bass, Northern pearl dace, White sucker, Yellow perch. Squaw Lake is located in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
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Where this data comes from
90 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS90 samples · 2016–2022
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.