The State of Michigan’s Lakes 2026

Cleanest lakes in Michigan

Highest combined water-quality score, 2026.

1. 1.AWindover Lake South Basin; Freeman Township — Clare County15.0 ft clarity · 3 µg/L chl-a
2. 2.AMoon Lake Central Basin; Watersmeet Township — Gogebic County18.0 ft clarity · 3 µg/L chl-a
3. 3.ASunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township — Iron County15.5 ft clarity · 2 µg/L chl-a
4. 4.AEllen Lake South Central Basin; Mansfield Township — Iron County17.0 ft clarity · 3 µg/L chl-a
5. 5.ASmoky Lake — Iron County24.0 ft clarity · 8 µg/L P
6. 6.AWhitefish Bay Deep Lake — Chippewa County34.4 ft clarity · 16 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
7. 7.ALittle Bass Lake — Lake County18.3 ft clarity · 3 µg/L chl-a
8. 8.AWhitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township — Montcalm County16.0 ft clarity · 3 µg/L chl-a
9. 9.ACobb Lake Central Basin — Barry County16.0 ft clarity · 2 µg/L chl-a
10. 10.ABig Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township — Kalkaska County23.0 ft clarity · 2 µg/L chl-a

Most-polluted lakes

Lowest combined water-quality score among monitored lakes.

1. 1.DLake Diane South Basin; Amboy Township — Hillsdale County2.5 ft clarity · 29 µg/L chl-a
2. 2.DFox Lake Central Basin; Dalton Township — Muskegon County1.0 ft clarity · 29 µg/L chl-a
3. 3.DPalmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township — St. Joseph County2.0 ft clarity · 21 µg/L chl-a
4. 4.DCommunity College Pond — Chippewa County1.5 ft clarity · 35 µg/L P · 97 µg/L chl-a
5. 5.DSouth Pond — Chippewa County1.3 ft clarity · 28 µg/L P · 38 µg/L chl-a
6. 6.CVan Etten Lake North Central Basin; Oscoda Township — Iosco County5.5 ft clarity · 11 µg/L chl-a
7. 7.CEarl Lake Central Basin — Livingston County5.5 ft clarity · 13 µg/L chl-a
8. 8.CUpper Hamlin Lake West Basin East of the Narrows — Mason County6.5 ft clarity · 12 µg/L chl-a
9. 9.CRose Lake — Shiawassee County5.0 ft clarity · 15 µg/L chl-a
10. 10.CFlint Park Lake — Genesee County3.8 ft clarity · 12 µg/L chl-a

Worst algae hotspots

Highest measured chlorophyll-a (algae) concentration.

1. 1.DCommunity College Pond — Chippewa County97 µg/L chlorophyll-a
2. 2.CNorth Pond — Chippewa County53 µg/L chlorophyll-a
3. 3.DSouth Pond — Chippewa County38 µg/L chlorophyll-a
4. 4.DLake Diane South Basin; Amboy Township — Hillsdale County29 µg/L chlorophyll-a
5. 5.DFox Lake Central Basin; Dalton Township — Muskegon County29 µg/L chlorophyll-a
6. 6.DPalmer Lake Central Basin; Colon Township — St. Joseph County21 µg/L chlorophyll-a

Trending lakes

Improving

1. 1.AGlen Lake — Leelanau County
2. 2.ACamp Lake; Deep Basin; Stambaugh Township — Iron County
3. 3.AMoon Lake — Gogebic County
4. 4.AMoon Lake Central Basin; Watersmeet Township — Gogebic County
5. 5.ACamp Lake — Iron County
6. 6.ASecond Fortune Lake; Crystal Falls Township — Iron County
7. 7.ACorey Lake — St. Joseph County
8. 8.ACorey Lake Southeastern Basin; Fabius Township — St. Joseph County

Declining

1. 1.DCommunity College Pond — Chippewa County
2. 2.DLittle Beaver Lake — Alger County
3. 3.DPerch Lake — Iron County
4. 4.DFox Lake — Charlevoix County
5. 5.DFox Lake — Charlevoix County
6. 6.DByers Lake — Schoolcraft County
7. 7.CUpper Hamlin Lake West Basin East of the Narrows — Mason County
8. 8.CMoore Lake — Allegan County