Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Iron County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2023-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township water quality
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down. Chlorophyll-a: 2.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.5 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | A |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township
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Fishing Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +2.207 m/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.2 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 39 lakes in Iron County
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EPA Impairment Status
Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township 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 MI040301060307-06 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.74 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2023-09-08
Monitoring stations: 1