Lane Lake

Calhoun County, Michigan · MI DNR bathymetric survey

20ft Max
depth

26 acres 4 contours Public access

Paddling Index69Mixedsheltered geometry · wooded shoreline

Get directions

Depth scale

05101520

The lake

Survey readout

Lane Lake is mapped to a depth of 20 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 26 acres in Calhoun 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: 20 ft
Mean depth: 12 ft · estimated
Surface area: 26 acres
Estimated volume: 316 acre-ft · 103M gal
Shoreline: 0.93 mi · lobed
Aquatic vegetation: 19% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Launch

Additional depth details4 contours

Contour depths: 0–20 ft
Recorded point soundings: 20 ft

41.8% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 28.5% is deeper than 20 ft. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.

Compare with another lake

Location

Calhoun County, Michigan · all 16 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

Provenance

Sources: MI DNR inland lake contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL), MI DNR Boat Launches.

⚠ Not for navigation

Spot 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. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.

Coordinates: 42.36385, -84.98766
MI DNR lake ID: L2672
Vertical exaggeration: 3.0×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 1.9 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21

69 / 100MixedData confidence: High

Lane Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, well sheltered geometry, 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	19.2 of 30	65% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (18% forest, 48% wetland; 16% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Excellent	25.0 of 25	mean fetch 435 m · 78% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · short fetch in most directions
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 · 3 trailer spaces
Road isolation	Mixed	4.4 of 15	nearby higher-volume roads · 9 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 24,762 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: Moderate — narrow in places — wakes would carry across parts of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: Moderate — approximately 19% 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 — 18% forest and 48% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public environmental, access, roadway and watercraft-control data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights: natural setting 30%, geometric wind exposure 25%, watercraft controls 15%, public access 15%, road isolation 15%; observed motorboat activity is weighted 0% because no defensible lake-level measurement exists. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Sources: MI DNR Boating Access Sites (2026-08), MI DNR Watercraft Control Areas (2026-08), USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), MDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (2025) and MI DNR bathymetric survey outline (0 ft isobath). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Non-native species records

4 records

Plants & algae

Carolina Fanwort
Flowering Rush
Purple Loosestrife
Starry Stonewort

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.

Bait & tackle nearby

licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distance

Cary's Bait & Tackle≈8.6 mi1000 E Michigan Ave, Battle Creek · Google · Apple

French's Duck Point Inc≈10.1 mi22057 Monroe Rd, Springport · Google · Apple

Uncle Jake's @ Smiths Sport Shop≈12.4 mi · (269) 964-32211408 W. Michigan Ave, Battle Creek · Google · Apple

Dealers licensed by the Michigan DNR to sell live bait; listing is not an endorsement. Distances are straight-line, not driving — and call ahead: hours and stock change. Source: Michigan DNR retail bait dealer data.

Quick answers

Lane Lake — common questions

How deep is Lane Lake?

The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Lane Lake is 20 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 Lane Lake?

Lane Lake covers about 26 acres in Calhoun County, Michigan.

What is the average depth of Lane Lake?

The estimated mean depth of Lane Lake is 12 ft, calculated from the survey contours.

Is there public access to Lane Lake?

Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Lane Lake, including Lanes Lake.