Van Etten Lake
Iosco County, Michigan1,407 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #5 of 5 in the county
Van Etten Lake in Iosco County, Michigan has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L. Surface area: 1406.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Area
- 1,407 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 34 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.9 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
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Watch Van Etten Lake’s letter
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Van Etten Lake is a 1,407-acre mesotrophic lake in Iosco County, Michigan. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Iosco County, Van Etten Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Van Etten Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water1,407 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Van Etten Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pFAS, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.9 µg/L. TSI 52. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 34 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
→ Van Etten Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 1,407 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Van Etten Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Van Etten Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.098 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.46 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Van Etten Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040700070609-04 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.95 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 5 lakes in Iosco County
Nearby Lakes in Iosco County
Frequently asked questions about Van Etten Lake
Where is Van Etten Lake?
- Van Etten Lake is a lake in Iosco County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Van Etten Lake?
- Van Etten Lake in Iosco County, Michigan has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L. Surface area: 1406.5 acres.
Is Van Etten Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Van Etten Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pFAS, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Van Etten Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
182 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS182 samples · 2016–2023
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database