Templene Lake
St. Joseph County, Michigan869 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #4 of 8 in the county
- Public access
Templene Lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Surface area: 868.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Area
- 869 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 18 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Templene Lake’s letter
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Templene Lake is a 869-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in St. Joseph County, Templene Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.2 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 869 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Templene Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Templene Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.36 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -6 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.9 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Templene Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Marvin Mountain Poultry-CafoCentreville · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MI0059997Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 8 lakes in St. Joseph County
Nearby Lakes in St. Joseph County
Frequently asked questions about Templene Lake
Where is Templene Lake?
- Templene Lake is a lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Templene Lake?
- Templene Lake in St. Joseph County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Surface area: 868.9 acres.
Is Templene Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Templene Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
48 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS48 samples · 2022–2023
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)