Whitefish Lake
Montcalm County, MichiganView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Whitefish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
Whitefish Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
Whitefish Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Montcalm County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 21 documented fish species including Black crappie, Blackchin shiner, and Bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Montcalm County, Whitefish Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Whitefish Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Whitefish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing21 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Whitefish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Whitefish 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 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.3 µg/L. TSI 42.
| 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 | 14.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.3µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Whitefish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Whitefish Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 60°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 62°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (62°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 642 field readings (2021–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Whitefish Lake water temperature breakdown →
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Stays near Whitefish Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Whitefish Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Whitefish Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2019–2023).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.23 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.55 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Whitefish Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601020806-03 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Whitefish Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Sand Lake S-N-GSand Lake · 2.5 mi away · NPDES MIG080895
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.
Nearby Lakes in Montcalm County
Frequently asked questions about Whitefish Lake
Where is Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake is a lake in Montcalm County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
Is Whitefish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Whitefish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 642 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Whitefish Lake?
- Fish species found in Whitefish Lake include Black crappie, Blackchin shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Central mudminnow, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Least darter, Longnose gar, Mimic shiner, Northern longear sunfish, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Whitefish Lake is located in Montcalm County, Michigan.
Can I fish at Whitefish Lake?
- Public access to Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
104 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS104 samples · 2019–2023
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)