Coldwater Lake
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Coldwater Lake is mapped to a depth of 90 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 1,541 acres in Branch County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey (depths read from the survey's isobath field; this lake's summary-depth column is blank in the source).
- Deepest mapped contour
- 90 ft
- Mean depth
- 20.6 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 1,541 acres
- Estimated volume
- 31,768 acre-ft · 10,352M gal
- Shoreline
- 12.95 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 5% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details10 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–90 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 90 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Silver Lake. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Coldwater Lake’s own are.
48.3% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 42.3% is deeper than 20 ft; the survey shows 2 distinct basins. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 41.82083, -84.97837
- MI DNR lake ID
- L22642
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Coldwater Lake has a substantially developed setting, notable open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Slow-no-wake zones.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Modest | 5.2 of 30 | 31% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (2% forest, 29% wetland; 28% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Mixed | 7.3 of 25 | mean fetch 2,239 m · 2% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long fetch in some directions |
| Watercraft controls | Slow-no-wake zones | 10.2 of 15 | Slow — no wake — designated zones only |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 2 ramp lanes · 61 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Modest | 2.0 of 15 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 53 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 23,301 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 5% 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
- Limited — 2% forest and 29% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking35 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Longnose Gar
Northern Pike
Common Carp
Spotted Gar
Bowfin
Lake Trout
Walleyestocked
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Brown BullheadBullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
Yellow Bullhead
Redear Sunfish
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Warmouth
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Green Sunfish
Golden Shiner
Brook Silverside
Logperch
Banded Killifish
Bluntnose Minnow
Spotfin Shiner
Spottail Shiner
Tadpole Madtom
Blackchin Shiner
Blacknose Shiner
Iowa Darter
Johnny Darter
Sand ShinerHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Tiger Muskellunge (last planted 1991) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 35 species found here — 35 open to harvest.
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.
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 2026-08-24. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 1990–2025Trophy-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 species11 species
Biggest on record
Bait: worm (12) · night crawler (11) · live bait (9)
Method: still fishing (37) · spincasting (26) · ice fishing (12) · drift fishing (6)
Fishery
surveyed 2014 · DNR SFR 2018-259Gamefish Largemouth Bass 110 · Northern Pike 85 · Smallmouth Bass 8 · Bowfin 5
Panfish Bluegill 1,421 · Hybrid Sunfish 576 · Rock Bass 227
All survey species30 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1980–2025Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
8 recordsMussels & snails
- Banded Mysterysnail
- Freshwater Golden Clam
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Narrow-leaved Cattail
- Purple Loosestrife
- Starry Stonewort
Other invertebrates
- Freshwater Jellyfish
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.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingCity-managed · Free · Rustic restrooms · Paved parking
Amenities: Animal-friendly, boat launch
“Coldwater Lake is a large and deep lake for Branch County. For the best action, a boat is required. Boats can be rented from Coldwater Marina. This area is shallow and probably best in spring and early summer for bluegills.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceColdwater Lake — common questions
How deep is Coldwater Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Coldwater Lake is 90 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 Coldwater Lake?
Coldwater Lake covers about 1,541 acres in Branch County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Coldwater Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Coldwater Lake is 20.6 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Coldwater Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include lake trout, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, black crappie. The page lists all 35 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Coldwater Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Coldwater Lake, including Coldwater Lake.
