Morrison Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Morrison Lake is mapped to a depth of 20 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 124 acres in Branch County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 20 ft
- Mean depth
- 6.1 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 124 acres
- Estimated volume
- 749 acre-ft · 244M gal
- Shoreline
- 3.16 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 16% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details4 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–20 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 20 ft, 10 ft, 10 ft, 5 ft, 5 ft
79.2% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 2.3% is deeper than 20 ft; the survey shows 5 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 42.00167, -85.02806
- MI DNR lake ID
- L48271
- Vertical exaggeration
- 3.0×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.1 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Morrison Lake has a substantially developed setting, generally sheltered geometry, some nearby classified 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 | Modest | 6.1 of 30 | 34% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (0% forest, 34% wetland; 32% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 17.8 of 25 | mean fetch 818 m · 6% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short 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 · 9 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Good | 7.5 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 19 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 2,423 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 16% 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 — 0% forest and 34% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & DNR surveys17 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
Common Carp
Spotted Gar
Bowfin
Channel Catfish
Redhorse Sucker
Largemouth Bass
Brown Bullhead
Crappie
Yellow Bullhead
Bluegill
Warmouth
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Green Sunfish
Golden Shiner
LogperchFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 17 species found here — 16 open to harvest, 1 with a special rule or closed season.
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 · 1997–2025Trophy-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 species7 species
Biggest on record
Bait: live bait (2) · artificial lure (2) · combination (1) · flies (1)
Method: still fishing (4) · ice fishing (2) · trolling (2) · fly fishing (1)
Fishery
Gamefish Bowfin 7
Panfish Warmouth 8 · Green Sunfish 1
All survey species10 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceMorrison Lake — common questions
How deep is Morrison Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Morrison 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 Morrison Lake?
Morrison Lake covers about 124 acres in Branch County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Morrison Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Morrison Lake is 6.1 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Morrison Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, bowfin, brown bullhead, crappie. The page lists all 17 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Morrison Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Morrison Lake, including Craig Lake.
