Tie Lake
Alger County, Michigan50 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Tie Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Tie Lake in Alger County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 49.8 acres.
Tie Lake is a 50-acre mesotrophic lake in Alger County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Alger County, Tie Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-09-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Tie Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Tie 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 Tie Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Tie Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.9 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 8µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Tie Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Tie 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 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 83 field readings (2018–2018) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
50 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Tie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tie Lake in Alger 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 Tie Lake
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Fishing Tie Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2017–2021).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Alger County
Frequently asked questions about Tie Lake
Where is Tie Lake?
- Tie Lake is a lake in Alger County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Tie Lake?
- Tie Lake in Alger County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 49.8 acres.
Is Tie Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Tie Lake?
- Tie Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 83 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2018). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Tie Lake?
- Tie Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 49.8 acres.
Can I fish at Tie Lake?
- Public access to Tie Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Michigan's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Tie Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Alger County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings
Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Pictured Rocks?
Tie Lake is about 30 miles from Pictured Rocks 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 Pictured Rocks →More lakes in Michigan
Other Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
68 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS68 samples · 2017–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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.