Black Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Black Lake is mapped to a depth of 50 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 10,398 acres in Cheboygan County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 50 ft
- Mean depth
- 25.1 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 10,398 acres
- Estimated volume
- 261,158 acre-ft · 85,099M gal
- Shoreline
- 18.21 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Trophic state
- Eutrophic · satellite estimate · readings disagree · details
- Public access
- Boat Launch · Rec Passport
Additional depth details10 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–50 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 50 ft, 15 ft
28.6% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 62.6% is deeper than 20 ft. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.
Compare with another lakeProvenance
Sources: MI DNR inland lake contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL), MI DNR Boat Launches.
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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
- 45.46207, -84.27195
- MI DNR lake ID
- L11512
- Vertical exaggeration
- 12.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.3 MB
Lake productivity & trophic state
Satellite estimateSatellite-estimated classification: Eutrophic. Higher nutrient levels and biological productivity, often with more algae or aquatic plant growth. Based on satellite estimates of summer chlorophyll-a (LAGOS-US LANDSAT, 2020). No lake-specific measurement is available in this dataset.Field and satellite readings disagree for this lake: a Secchi disk water-clarity reading of 17 ft was recorded in 2005, while the satellite estimate is 8.1 ft. Treat the satellite-estimated classification with caution.
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.
- Mesotrophic2–7 µg/L · moderate nutrient levels and biological productivity.
- Eutrophic · this lake7–30 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; satellite chlorophyll-a estimates from LAGOS-US LANDSAT.
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-23Black Lake has a partly natural setting, long open-water fetch, 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 | Good | 16.5 of 30 | 62% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (17% forest, 44% wetland; 24% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Modest | 1.2 of 25 | mean fetch 7,351 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long open-water 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 | 2 sites with DNR boating-facility records · 2 ramp lanes · 31 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Mixed | 5.2 of 15 | nearby higher-volume roads · 66 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,482 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
- Low — approximately 3% 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
- Moderate — 17% forest and 44% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking21 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Lake Sturgeon
Common Carp
Freshwater Drum
White Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
About these fish → the Fish of Michigan guide
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 21 species found here — 18 open to harvest, 3 with a special rule or closed season.
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.
Official rule text for this lake
“the minimum size limit on Muskellunge is 46-inches.” — FO-206
“no size limit on Northern Pike and up to five (5) Northern Pike may be retained in the daily possession limit with only one (1) 24-inches or greater.” — FO-206
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
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 1994–2025Trophy-size fish anglers caught here and registered with the DNR — what people have actually caught, distinct from what a survey netted or the state stocked below.
Catch details by species21 species
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (50) · artificial lure (43) · worm (20)
Method: spincasting (105) · still fishing (82) · drift fishing (36) · trolling (26)
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1982–2025Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
4 recordsMussels & snails
Plants & algae
Purple Loosestrife- Reed Canarygrass
How to identify invasive species in Michigan lakes →
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.
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceBlack Lake — common questions
How deep is Black Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Black Lake is 50 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 Black Lake?
Black Lake covers about 10,398 acres in Cheboygan County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Black Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Black Lake is 25.1 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Black Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include brook trout, channel catfish, lake sturgeon, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike. The page lists all 21 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Black Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 2 public access sites on Black Lake, including Onaway State Park - Black Lake.
