East Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
East Lake is mapped to a depth of 15 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 94 acres in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 15 ft
- Mean depth
- 6.2 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 94 acres
- Estimated volume
- 579 acre-ft · 189M gal
- Shoreline
- 1.76 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 15% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details3 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–15 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 15 ft
80.6% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 44.63701, -85.15560
- MI DNR lake ID
- L9575
- Vertical exaggeration
- 3.0×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.3 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21East Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, generally sheltered geometry, some nearby classified roads. Watercraft controls: Restricted hours.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Very Good | 20.7 of 30 | 73% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (30% forest, 42% wetland; 21% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 18.8 of 25 | mean fetch 729 m · 1% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Restricted hours | 9.3 of 15 | Restricted hours |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 1 ramp lane · 9 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Good | 7.6 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 7 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 3,597 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
- Moderate — approximately 15% 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 — 30% forest and 42% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking3 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Northern Pikestocked
Bluegill
PumpkinseedHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Walleye (last planted 1993) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 3 species found here — 3 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 · 2001–2023Master Angler catches recorded on this lake — too few to show a pattern, so they are listed individually.
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1990–2001Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
No stockings recorded since 2001 — shown as history.
Non-native species records
No non-native species recorded in the available dataset. This does not confirm that no non-native species are present.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
Bait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceEast Lake — common questions
How deep is East Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of East Lake is 15 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 East Lake?
East Lake covers about 94 acres in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of East Lake?
The estimated mean depth of East Lake is 6.2 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in East Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include northern pike, bluegill, pumpkinseed. The page shows the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to East Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on East Lake, including East Lake.
