The State of Michigan's Lakes 2026

Cleanest lakes in Michigan

Highest combined water-quality score, 2026.

1. 1.ACrystal Lake — Montcalm County10.0 ft clarity · 9 µg/L P · 2 µg/L chl-a
2. 2.AOre Lake — Livingston County9.0 ft clarity · 22 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
3. 3.ASouth Bar Lake — Leelanau County8.5 ft clarity · 14 µg/L P · 4 µg/L chl-a
4. 4.AEagle Lake — Kalkaska County18.0 ft clarity · 10 µg/L P · 1 µg/L chl-a
5. 5.AEllen Lake — Iron County17.3 ft clarity · 8 µg/L P · 2 µg/L chl-a
6. 6.ABrooks Lake — Leelanau County9.5 ft clarity · 10 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
7. 7.AIndian Lake — Kalamazoo County9.5 ft clarity · 10 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
8. 8.ARound Lake — Mecosta County9.0 ft clarity · 17 µg/L P · 7 µg/L chl-a
9. 9.AMecosta Lake — Mecosta County9.5 ft clarity · 10 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
10. 10.APerch Lake — Iron County6.0 ft clarity · 24 µg/L P · 5 µg/L chl-a

Most-polluted lakes

Lowest combined water-quality score among monitored lakes.

1. 1.DSouth Pond — Chippewa County1.4 ft clarity · 38 µg/L P · 25 µg/L chl-a
2. 2.DLake Diane — Hillsdale County2.5 ft clarity · 51 µg/L P · 20 µg/L chl-a
3. 3.DRound Lake — Shiawassee County6.0 ft clarity · 32 µg/L P · 19 µg/L chl-a
4. 4.DBoot Lake — Kalamazoo County7.0 ft clarity · 46 µg/L P · 2 µg/L chl-a
5. 5.DGage Lake — Cass County60 µg/L P
6. 6.DSassafras Lake — Van Buren County105 µg/L P
7. 7.DRodgers Lake — Cass County90 µg/L P
8. 8.CVan Etten Lake — Iosco County6.0 ft clarity · 34 µg/L P · 7 µg/L chl-a
9. 9.CJuno Lake — Cass County7.5 ft clarity · 22 µg/L P · 8 µg/L chl-a
10. 10.CUpper Hamlin Lake — Mason County6.0 ft clarity · 29 µg/L P · 6 µg/L chl-a

Worst algae hotspots

Highest measured chlorophyll-a (algae) concentration.

1. 1.FCommunity College Pond — Chippewa County37 µg/L chlorophyll-a
2. 2.DSouth Pond — Chippewa County25 µg/L chlorophyll-a
3. 3.DPalmer Lake — St. Joseph County21 µg/L chlorophyll-a
4. 4.DLake Diane — Hillsdale County20 µg/L chlorophyll-a

Trending lakes

Improving

1. 1.AOre Lake — Livingston County
2. 2.ALake Twenty (Aka — Gladwin County
3. 3.ADuncan Lake — Barry County
4. 4.AGlacier Lake — Washtenaw County
5. 5.AEllen Lake — Iron County
6. 6.ALancer Lake Southeast — Gladwin County
7. 7.ADerby Lake — Montcalm County
8. 8.AHorsehead Lake — Mecosta County

Declining

1. 1.DLake Diane — Hillsdale County
2. 2.DRound Lake — Shiawassee County
3. 3.DBoot Lake — Kalamazoo County
4. 4.DGage Lake — Cass County
5. 5.DSassafras Lake — Van Buren County
6. 6.DRodgers Lake — Cass County
7. 7.CManitou Lake — Shiawassee County
8. 8.CPortage Lake — St. Joseph County