Green Lake

Washtenaw County, Michigan · MI DNR bathymetric survey

11ft Max
depth

88 acres 7 contours Public access 58% weedy

Paddling Index71Goodwooded shoreline · sheltered geometry

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Depth scale

0245681011

The lake

Survey readout

Green Lake is mapped to a depth of 11 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 88 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.

Deepest sounding: 11 ft
Mean depth: 3.5 ft · estimated
Surface area: 88 acres
Estimated volume: 306 acre-ft · 100M gal
Shoreline: 2.02 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 58% of surface · NDVI estimate
Trophic state: Mesotrophic · measured 2002 · details
Public access: Boat Launch · Rec Passport
In: Waterloo Recreation Area · Michigan DNR
Borders: Pinckney Recreation Area · Michigan DNR · 19% of shoreline

Additional depth details7 contours

Contour depths: 0–11 ft
Recorded point soundings: 11 ft, 11 ft, 8 ft, 5 ft, 5 ft, 5 ft

98.8% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; the survey shows 2 distinct basins. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.

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Location

Washtenaw County, Michigan · 15 nearest of 47 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

Provenance

Sources: MI DNR inland lake contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL), MI DNR Boat Launches.

⚠ Not for navigation

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Map details & sources5 sources

All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.

Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.

Coordinates: 42.36798, -84.07214
MI DNR lake ID: L6749
Vertical exaggeration: 3.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.3 MB

Lake productivity & trophic state

Measured 2002

Classification: Mesotrophic. Moderate nutrient levels and biological productivity. Based on measurements recorded in 2002 (chlorophyll-a 4.0 µg/L).

Trophic state describes how biologically productive a lake is, based on indicators such as nutrients, algae and water clarity. It is not a swimming-safety or overall water-quality rating.

What do the categories mean?

Oligotrophic≤ 2 µg/L · lower nutrient and algae levels, often clearer water and lower biological productivity.
Mesotrophic · this lake2–7 µg/L · moderate nutrient levels and biological productivity.
Eutrophic7–30 µg/L · higher nutrient levels and biological productivity, often with more algae or aquatic plant growth.
Hypereutrophic> 30 µg/L · very high nutrient levels and biological productivity, with a greater potential for heavy algae growth and low water clarity.

Bands are summer (June–August) mean chlorophyll-a, the green pigment in algae, at the EPA 2012 National Lakes Assessment thresholds. Trophic condition can change over time and by measurement method. Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; chlorophyll-a measurements from LAGOS-US LIMNO.

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-23

71 / 100GoodData confidence: High

Green Lake has a heavily wooded and largely undeveloped setting, generally sheltered geometry, nearby higher-volume roads. No special watercraft restriction is identified in the current source.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Excellent	25.4 of 30	88% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (57% forest, 30% wetland; 10% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Very Good	19.9 of 25	mean fetch 658 m · 3% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch
Watercraft controls	None identified	7.5 of 15	No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law.
Public access	Good	12.8 of 15	1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 1 trailer space
Road isolation	Mixed	5.5 of 15	nearby higher-volume roads · 3 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 4,927 vehicles/day

Additional paddling considerations

These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.

Wake sensitivity: Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: High — approximately 58% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
Observed motorized activity: Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
Wildlife habitat potential: High — 57% forest and 30% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public environmental, access, roadway and watercraft-control data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights: natural setting 30%, geometric wind exposure 25%, watercraft controls 15%, public access 15%, road isolation 15%; observed motorboat activity is weighted 0% because no defensible lake-level measurement exists. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Sources: MI DNR bathymetric survey outline (0 ft isobath), USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), MI DNR Watercraft Control Areas (2026-08), MI DNR Boating Access Sites (2026-08) and MDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (2025). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Fish you might catch

from angler catches

1 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).

Smallmouth Bass

About these fish → the Fish of Michigan guide

Fishing rules for this lake Beta

Size and daily limits for the 1 species found here — 1 open to harvest.

These are hook-and-line size, daily limit and season rules. Gear, spearing and bow fishing, spawning closures and rod limits are set by other Fisheries Orders and are not shown here.

Smallmouth BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: 14" · Daily limit: 5 (FO-215 · statewide inland) The 5 is in any combination of Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, not 5 of each (FO-215.23A).

Beta. This panel is newly published. Every value is parsed from the Michigan DNR fisheries orders and hand-checked against the printed digest, but the coverage and wording are still under review. If anything here disagrees with the Michigan DNR's Fisheries Orders or its printed digest, the DNR is right — the signed Fisheries Order is the legal text; the digest summarizes it.

Smallmouth BassOpen to harvestMinimum size: 14" · Daily limit: 5 (FO-215 · statewide inland) The 5 is in any combination of Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, not 5 of each (FO-215.23A).

From FO-206.26 (eff. 2026-04-01) / FO-215.23A (eff. 2023-09-15) / FO-254.25 (eff. 2025-10-10), checked against the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations digest · verified 2026-09-15. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations

Compiled from registered Master Angler catches. Silhouettes are stylized and scaled to typical adult sizes relative to one another. Presence is not a promise — fishing isn’t a sure thing.

Notable catches

Master Angler program · 2003

One Master Angler catch is on record for this lake: smallmouth bass in 2003.

Master Angler entries are fish that met the program’s minimum size and were registered by the angler — they show what this lake has produced, not what a day here will produce. A catch on record is history, not a species listing: “Fish you might catch” lists only species with current evidence. Source: Michigan DNR Master Angler data.

Non-native species records

1 record

Plants & algae

European Frogbit

What does non-native mean?

USGS records identify non-native species that have been documented for this lake or its shoreline. Non-native does not necessarily mean invasive, and historical records do not confirm current presence.

Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.

Public fishing access

MI DNR family-friendly fishing

Boat

State-managed · Yes, Rec Passport · Rustic restrooms · Dirt parking

Amenities: Boat launch, camping, picnic tables

“This 90 acre lake has an 11-foot maximum depth. There is a paved launch area with gravel parking for eight vehicles with trailers. This launch is only suitable for small boats.”

Source: Michigan DNR Family Friendly Fishing.

At the lake

community-mapped amenities · straight-line distance

⛻ Campgroundon the lake

🚿 Restrooms / vault toileton the lake · 5 mapped

🥾 Hiking trailhead≈1.5 mi

From OpenStreetMap community mapping — shown only where something is mapped; an amenity missing here may still exist. Distances are straight-line. Verify before you rely on it. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Bait & tackle nearby

licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distance

Tab's Custom Cuts≈5.4 mi14500 Holmes Rd, Gregory · Google · Apple

Mike and Tina's Party Store≈6.1 mi · (517) 985-604413100 Territorial Rd, Stockbridge · Google · Apple

Lightning Quick Gas N Go #26≈6.2 mi4400 Clear Lake Rd, Grass Lake · Google · Apple

Dealers licensed by the Michigan DNR to sell live bait; listing is not an endorsement. Distances are straight-line, not driving — and call ahead: hours and stock change. Source: Michigan DNR retail bait dealer data.

Quick answers

Green Lake — common questions

How deep is Green Lake?

The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Green Lake is 11 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.

How big is Green Lake?

Green Lake covers about 88 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

What is the average depth of Green Lake?

The estimated mean depth of Green Lake is 3.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.

What fish are in Green Lake?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include smallmouth bass. The page shows the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Green Lake?

Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Green Lake, including Green Lake.