Deer Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Deer Lake is mapped to a depth of 70 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 252 acres in Alger 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
- 70 ft
- Mean depth
- 32.7 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 252 acres
- Estimated volume
- 8,255 acre-ft · 2,690M gal
- Shoreline
- 4.38 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 2% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details7 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–70 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 70 ft
13% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 74.8% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 46.47778, -86.97017
- MI DNR lake ID
- L32596
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Deer Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, 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 | Very Good | 23.6 of 30 | 81% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (67% forest, 13% wetland; 9% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 13.2 of 25 | mean fetch 1,256 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate 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 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 8 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Mixed | 5.8 of 15 | nearby higher-volume roads · 7 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 3,974 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 2% 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
- High — 67% forest and 13% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking4 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Lake Trout
Walleyestocked
Rainbow Troutstocked
CrappieFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 4 species found here — 4 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 · 2021–2022Master Angler catches recorded on this lake — too few to show a pattern, so they are listed individually.
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2026Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
1 recordPlants & algae
- Narrow-leaved Cattail
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 distanceDeer Lake — common questions
How deep is Deer Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Deer Lake is 70 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 Deer Lake?
Deer Lake covers about 252 acres in Alger County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Deer Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Deer Lake is 32.7 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Deer Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include lake trout, rainbow trout, walleye, crappie. The page shows the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Deer Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Deer Lake, including Deer Lake.
