Description:
Ellsworth Lake is located in the upper Elk River Chain of Lakes. It is fed by the Intermediate River from St. Clair Lake on the north (upstream) end, and empties through the Intermediate River into Wilson Lake at its southern (downstream) terminus. The town of Ellsworth, including the famous Wooden Shoe Park, is located on the north end of the lake.
While on Ellsworth Lake, take a look at the shale pits dug into the hills on each side. There you will see the layers of soil that reveal the surficial geology of the area. The reddish soil toward the top is glacial till, covering a green-gray layer of older Ellsworth shale.
Ellsworth Lake is popular with anglers; fish species reported include black, yellow, and brown bullhead; longnose gar; longear sunfish; white sucker; bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike, black crappie, small- and largemouth bass; rock bass; pumpkinseed; and walleye.
Monitoring and Research:
Ellsworth 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 Ellsworth 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.
Additional Resources:
| Title | Categories | Link | hf:doc_categories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed Management Plan | Beals Lake, Ben-Way Lake, Clam Lake, EGLE/EPA Approved Watershed Management Plans, Elk Lake, Elk River, Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed, Ellsworth Lake, Hanley Lake, Intermediate Lake, Lake Bellaire, Scotts Lake, Six Mile Lake, Skegemog Lake, St. Clair Lake, Torch Lake, Wilson Lake | beals-lake ben-way-lake clam-lake watershed-plan-approved elk-lake elk-river elk-river-chain-of-lakes-watershed ellsworth-lake hanley-lake intermediate-lake lake-bellaire scotts-lake six-mile-lake skegemog-lake st-clair-lake torch-lake wilson-lake inland-lakes rivers-streams watersheds | |
| 2016 Ellsworth Lake Shoreline Survey | Ellsworth Lake, Shoreline Surveys | ellsworth-lake shoreline-surveys inland-lakes | |
| 2014-2015 Elk River Invasive Species Monitoring Project Report | Beals Lake, Ben-Way Lake, Clam Lake, Elk Lake, Elk River, Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed, Ellsworth Lake, Hanley Lake, Intermediate Lake, Invasive Species Monitoring, Lake Bellaire, Scotts Lake, Six Mile Lake, Skegemog Lake, St. Clair Lake, Torch Lake, Wilson Lake | beals-lake ben-way-lake clam-lake elk-lake elk-river elk-river-chain-of-lakes-watershed ellsworth-lake hanley-lake intermediate-lake invasive-species-monitoring lake-bellaire scotts-lake six-mile-lake skegemog-lake st-clair-lake torch-lake wilson-lake inland-lakes rivers-streams watersheds | |
| 2010 Elk River Chain of Lakes Profile CWQM | Ben-Way Lake, Clam Lake, Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring, Elk Lake, Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed, Ellsworth Lake, Hanley Lake, Intermediate Lake, Six Mile Lake, Skegemog Lake, St. Clair Lake, Torch Lake, Wilson Lake | ben-way-lake clam-lake comprehensive-water-quality-monitoring elk-lake elk-river-chain-of-lakes-watershed ellsworth-lake hanley-lake intermediate-lake six-mile-lake skegemog-lake st-clair-lake torch-lake wilson-lake inland-lakes watersheds |
