Orchard Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Orchard Lake is mapped to a depth of 111 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 849 acres in Oakland County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 111 ft
- Mean depth
- 21.9 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 849 acres
- Estimated volume
- 18,612 acre-ft · 6,065M gal
- Shoreline
- 5.67 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 5% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch · Rec Passport
Additional depth details13 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–111 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 111 ft
51.5% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 37.8% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 42.58673, -83.37073
- MI DNR lake ID
- L3660
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.5 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Orchard Lake has a substantially developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Speed limit.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Modest | 0.6 of 30 | 23% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (13% forest, 9% wetland; 56% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 9.5 of 25 | mean fetch 1,802 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Speed limit | 9.0 of 15 | Speed limit |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 1 site with DNR boating-facility records · 3 ramp lanes · 62 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Modest | 0.8 of 15 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 222 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 30,819 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 5% 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 — 13% forest and 9% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking26 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Muskellungestocked
Longnose Gar
Northern Pike
Common Carp
Bowfin
Largemouth Bass
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
Brown Bullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
Grass Pickerel
Yellow Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Pumpkinseed
Hornyhead Chub
Brook Silverside
Logperch
Banded Killifish
Spotfin Shiner
Blackchin Shiner
Blacknose Shiner
Iowa Darter
Johnny DarterHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Brown Trout (last planted 1983), Rainbow Trout (last planted 1980) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 26 species found here — 26 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 · 2001–2025Trophy-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 (11) · live bait (3) · minnow (1)
Method: spincasting (17) · drift fishing (4) · still fishing (3) · trolling (1)
Fishery
surveyed 1994Gamefish Largemouth Bass 105 · Northern Pike 11 · Bowfin 7 · Smallmouth Bass 3
Panfish Bluegill 648 · Pumpkinseed 199 · Rock Bass 76
All survey species23 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2017Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Non-native species records
12 recordsMussels & snails
- Banded Mysterysnail
- Chinese Mysterysnail
- Freshwater Golden Clam
- Zebra Mussel
Plants & algae
- Common Reed
- Curly-leaf Pondweed
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Flowering Rush
- Purple Loosestrife
- Starry Stonewort
Fish
- Atlantic Salmon
- Common Carp
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 distanceOrchard Lake — common questions
How deep is Orchard Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Orchard Lake is 111 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 Orchard Lake?
Orchard Lake covers about 849 acres in Oakland County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Orchard Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Orchard Lake is 21.9 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Orchard Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, smallmouth bass, black crappie, bluegill. The page lists all 26 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Orchard Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Orchard Lake, including Orchard Lake.
