| Drowned River Valleys | Examples: Lake Macatawa (Holland), Muskegon Lake and Pentwater Lake. Lake often dark, murky looking due to high organic material, mud bottom | |
| Former Lake Michigan Bays | Examples: Silver Lake, Crystal Lake and Torch Lake. Lakes usually have sandy bottom and are a brilliant blue in sunlight | |
| Kettle Lakes (basins filled with water, created by buried blocks of glacial ice) | Most inland lakes, coloration varies according to bottom type. |
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