Ford Lake
depth
Get directions
Depth scale
Survey readout
Ford Lake is mapped to a depth of 30 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 983 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 30 ft
- Mean depth
- 15.5 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 983 acres
- Estimated volume
- 15,216 acre-ft · 4,958M gal
- Shoreline
- 11.12 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Trophic state
- Eutrophic · measured 2012 · details
- Public access
- Boat Launch
- Borders
- Ford Lake Park · Ypsilanti Charter Township · 10% of shoreline
Additional depth details4 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–30 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 30 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Belleville Lake. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Ford Lake’s own are.
37.4% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 39% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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.
⚠ Not for navigationSpot an error? Send a correction
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
- 42.21503, -83.58181
- MI DNR lake ID
- L16497
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.66×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.5 MB
Lake productivity & trophic state
Measured 2012Classification: Eutrophic. Higher nutrient levels and biological productivity, often with more algae or aquatic plant growth. Based on measurements recorded in 2012 (chlorophyll-a 21.0 µg/L).
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; chlorophyll-a measurements from LAGOS-US LIMNO.
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details2 rules
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-23Ford Lake has a substantially developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Restricted hours.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Modest | 0.7 of 35 | 21% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (12% forest, 8% wetland; 69% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 11.4 of 29 | mean fetch 1,767 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Restricted hours | 10.9 of 18 | Restricted hours; Vessels prohibited — designated zones only |
| Public access | Not listed | — | No DNR-listed access site. Township, county and road-end launches are not in this source, so this is not evidence that access is poor — the component is excluded and the remaining weights are renormalized. |
| Road isolation | Modest | 0.9 of 18 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 400 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 108,884 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
- Limited — 12% forest and 8% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking11 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
About these fish → the Fish of Michigan guide
Historically stocked, no recent evidence: Tiger Muskellunge (last planted 1991), Walleye (last planted 1985) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 11 species found here — 11 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 2026-09-15. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 2004–2025Trophy-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 species8 species
Biggest on record
Bait: artificial lure (10) · corn (10) · bread (4)
Method: still fishing (15) · spincasting (11) · trolling (3) · bowfishing (2)
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2006Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
No stockings recorded since 2006 — shown as history.
Non-native species records
4 recordsMussels & snails
Plants & algae
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.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingTownship-managed · Entry fee · Rustic restrooms · Paved parking
Amenities: Boat launch, grills, picnic tables, playground
“Perfect spot to fish for panfish, catfish and walleye.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceFord Lake — common questions
How deep is Ford Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Ford Lake is 30 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 Ford Lake?
Ford Lake covers about 983 acres in Washtenaw County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Ford Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Ford Lake is 15.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Ford Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, northern pike, smallmouth bass, bluegill, bullhead, crappie. The page lists all 11 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Ford Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Ford Lake, including Ford Lake.
