Intermediate Lake
Watershed: Elk River Watershed
Primary Inflows: Intermediate River
Primary Outflows: Intermediate River
Surface Area: 1569 acres
Shoreline: 14.6 miles
Maximum Depth: 70 feet
Public Access Sites: 13
Description:
Appropriately named, Intermediate Lake is situated approximately in the middle of the Elk River Chain of Lakes, which is a series of 14 lakes and interconnecting waterways that eventually flows out into East Grand Traverse Bay. Intermediate Lake is a long, sinuous lake located between Hanley Lake (upstream) and Lake Bellaire (downstream) and connected to both via the Intermediate River. The lake has 19 inlet tributaries, including the Intermediate River, Fisk Creek, and Openo Creek. The largest island in the Chain of Lakes is located in the southern portion of Intermediate Lake, one of only two islands in the entire Chain.
Primary Inflows: Intermediate River
Primary Outflows: Intermediate River
Surface Area: 1569 acres
Shoreline: 14.6 miles
Maximum Depth: 70 feet
Public Access Sites: 13
Description:
Appropriately named, Intermediate Lake is situated approximately in the middle of the Elk River Chain of Lakes, which is a series of 14 lakes and interconnecting waterways that eventually flows out into East Grand Traverse Bay. Intermediate Lake is a long, sinuous lake located between Hanley Lake (upstream) and Lake Bellaire (downstream) and connected to both via the Intermediate River. The lake has 19 inlet tributaries, including the Intermediate River, Fisk Creek, and Openo Creek. The largest island in the Chain of Lakes is located in the southern portion of Intermediate Lake, one of only two islands in the entire Chain.
The town of Central Lake is located at the lake’s north end and in fact, Intermediate Lake was at one time known as Central Lake. Although the north end of Intermediate Lake has a lot of residential development, a large expanse of coniferous forested wetland exists at the southern end of the lake. Most of the near-shore bottom of Intermediate Lake is sand or gravelly sand, with a few rocky areas and some muck. Muskgrass (Chara), native watermilfoils, and pondweeds are common aquatic plants found in the lake.
Intermediate Lake is popular for all sorts of recreational activities including fishing, boating, and swimming. It is also popular because the lakes of the Upper Chain of Lakes, including Hanley, Ben-Way, Wilson, Ellsworth, St. Clair, and Six Mile, can be travelled to by boat using Intermediate Lake as a starting point. However, the Lower Chain of Lakes (Bellaire, Clam, Torch, Elk, and Skegemog) cannot be accessed by boat from Intermediate Lake because of the dam on the Intermediate River in Bellaire. Fish that have been reported through various Department of Natural Resources surveys include walleye, bluegill, logperch, yellow perch, large- and smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, longnose gar, white sucker, rock bass, whitefish, cisco, muskellunge, northern pike, rainbow trout, lake trout, brown trout, and sunfish.
Intermediate Lake is popular for all sorts of recreational activities including fishing, boating, and swimming. It is also popular because the lakes of the Upper Chain of Lakes, including Hanley, Ben-Way, Wilson, Ellsworth, St. Clair, and Six Mile, can be travelled to by boat using Intermediate Lake as a starting point. However, the Lower Chain of Lakes (Bellaire, Clam, Torch, Elk, and Skegemog) cannot be accessed by boat from Intermediate Lake because of the dam on the Intermediate River in Bellaire. Fish that have been reported through various Department of Natural Resources surveys include walleye, bluegill, logperch, yellow perch, large- and smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, longnose gar, white sucker, rock bass, whitefish, cisco, muskellunge, northern pike, rainbow trout, lake trout, brown trout, and sunfish.
Monitoring and Research:
Intermediate Lake is monitored every three years through the Watershed Council’s Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) Program for dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity, pH, nitrate-nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chloride levels.
Water transparency, chlorophyll-a, and water temperature are also monitored in Intermediate Lake each summer by volunteers as part of the Watershed Council’s Volunteer Lake Monitoring (VLM) Program.
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed Plan Implementation Team meets regularly and is working to protect the lakes in the Chain.
Intermediate Lake is monitored every three years through the Watershed Council’s Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) Program for dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity, pH, nitrate-nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chloride levels.
Water transparency, chlorophyll-a, and water temperature are also monitored in Intermediate Lake each summer by volunteers as part of the Watershed Council’s Volunteer Lake Monitoring (VLM) Program.
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed Plan Implementation Team meets regularly and is working to protect the lakes in the Chain.
Publications:
Elk River Chain of Lakes Lake Profile (2010)
Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Protection Plan (2005)
Fish of the Elk River Chain of Lakes (2001) - Hard Copy only, $.
Elk River Chain of Lakes Lake Profile (2010)
Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Protection Plan (2005)
Fish of the Elk River Chain of Lakes (2001) - Hard Copy only, $.
Additional Resources:
See additional resources on our Aquavist page.
Intermediate Lake Association Their Mission is "Ours to Protect""
View an interactive map of Intermediate Lake, including public access sites, on Michigan Fishweb.
A wide variety of maps for this area are available online at the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) Data Resources page.
Information about Threatened, Endangered, and Special Concern species in this lake’s watershed is available on the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) website.
See additional resources on our Aquavist page.
Intermediate Lake Association Their Mission is "Ours to Protect""
View an interactive map of Intermediate Lake, including public access sites, on Michigan Fishweb.
A wide variety of maps for this area are available online at the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) Data Resources page.
Information about Threatened, Endangered, and Special Concern species in this lake’s watershed is available on the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) website.
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Fish Shelters on the Elk River Chain of Lakes
Fish shelters provide crucial protection for smaller forage fish, which is vital because shoreline development has decreased natural shallow-water structures. Shelters are constructed with all-natural materials that are approved by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and placed in 15 to 25 feet of water. Click on a red icon to learn where the fish shelters are located. 
Three Lakes Association Fish Shelter Project Handbook
by Leah Varga, TLA Research Associate The fish shelter project is a five-year program to deploy fish shelters in five lakes of the Elk River Chain of Lakes. These five lakes are Torch Lake, Clam Lake, Lake Bellaire, Intermediate Lake, and Elk Lake. The project will introduce shelters at each of the 80 sites throughout these five lakes in about 15 to 20 feet of water. There are three shelter types, and each of the 80 sites will be comprised of the three designs. Written permission of the riparian property owners is required for the lakefront property in order for the shelters to be deployed at that site. There was also a Michigan EGLE permit submitted in early March of 2012, and was accepted and issued June 1, 2012. This handbook includes the objective and goals of the project, the construction and deployment of the fish shelters, and their observations. |
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Fish Shelters Project is a collaboration between the Watershed Center, Three Lakes Association, Friends of Clam Lake, Antrim Conservation District, Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association, Intermediate Lake Association and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.
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