Higgins Lake is a large lake in Roscommon County, Michigan. It covers 9,900 acres (4,000 hectares) and is the 10th largest lake in Michigan. The lake has a shoreline of 21 miles (34 kilometers), a maximum width of 4 miles (6.4 kilometers), and a length of 7 miles (11 kilometers). Its deepest point is 135 feet (41 meters), and the average depth is 30.4 feet (9.3 meters). The lake holds about 20 billion cubic feet (570 × 10^6 cubic meters) of water and takes about 12.5 years for water to flow through it. The area that drains into the lake, called the watershed, covers 19,000 acres (7,700 hectares). Half of the lake’s water comes from underwater springs, 6% from streams, and the rest from rain and runoff. Water flows from Higgins Lake into Marl Lake through the Cut River, which eventually connects to Lake Michigan via the Muskegon River. A mile north of the lake, water also flows into the Lake Huron watershed.
Fish species in the lake include yellow perch, trout, smelt, and pike. People fish in the lake both in open water and through ice fishing. Higgins Lake is considered a nutrient-poor lake because its large size makes it function like one, even though it receives a fair amount of nutrients.
The unincorporated community of Higgins Lake is located along the western shore of the lake. The lake lies on the boundary between Lyon Township to the west and Gerrish Township to the east.
There are two state parks on opposite sides of the lake: South Higgins Lake State Park and North Higgins Lake State Park. Both offer public boat launches and camping and are very popular in the summer months. South Higgins Lake State Park is older, larger, and more developed. North Higgins Lake State Park is located on land that was once the world’s largest seedling nursery, part of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Before European settlers arrived, the Chippewa (Ojibwe) people called the lake Majinabeesh, meaning "start of the waters." The lake was formed by glaciers that moved across northern Michigan about 12,000 years ago. These glaciers uncovered the natural springs that feed the lake. A dam helps manage the water flow, releasing 44.2 cubic feet of water per second to keep the lake’s level steady. As of 2020, the watershed is 35.7% open water, 38.3% forest, 10.1% urban, 7.9% wetland, 5.3% grassland, 2.5% other, and 0.1% agricultural.
History
The Chippewa people called the lake Majinabeesh. Later, Europeans renamed it Forginson Lake in an 1839 survey by John Brink. In 1852, during a survey by William A. Burt, the lake was renamed Higgins Lake to honor the surveyor Higgins. The lake became popular because it provided a water source and many logging jobs were available.
Environmental concerns
In recent years, the lake has become a more common place for people to live and enjoy activities, which has caused worry about the quality of its water. People and local leaders think the lake is being harmed by too much phosphorus and nitrogen, which come from septic systems, fertilizers, and water runoff from roads.
The most noticeable change is the arrival of zebra mussels. These mussels have no natural enemies in U.S. lakes and harm native clams. They also cause more plants to grow at the bottom of the lake.
People living near Higgins Lake are working to create rules that require boats to be cleaned before entering the lake. They also support programs aimed at stopping other non-native pests to protect the lake's natural environment.