Turtle Lake
Benzie County, Michigan41 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.
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Turtle Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 40.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.3 ft
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 41 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Turtle Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Turtle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Turtle Lake has no grade
Turtle 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, Turtle Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 11.3-foot median from 16 readings collected 2019–2022 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.
Turtle Lake is a 41-acre lake in Benzie County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Turtle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.3 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Turtle Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.3 ft. TSI 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 41 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Turtle LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Turtle Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.691 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Turtle Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Mdnr-Platte River HatcheryBeulah · 3.6 mi away · NPDES MI0035769
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.
Graded lakes near Turtle Lake
Turtle Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Lake
Where is Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake is a lake in Benzie 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 Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake in Benzie County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 40.9 acres.
Is Turtle Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 40.9 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Turtle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS16 samples · 2019–2022
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.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory