Palmer Lake
depth
Get directions
Depth scale
Survey readout
Palmer Lake is mapped to a depth of 40 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 468 acres in St. Joseph County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 40 ft
- Mean depth
- 13.5 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 468 acres
- Estimated volume
- 2,894 acre-ft · 943M gal
- Shoreline
- 4.38 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details7 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–40 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 40 ft, 32 ft
Other waters with a public launch on this map: Sturgeon Lake. Their launches are not marked on the model — only Palmer Lake’s own are.
42.2% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 35.9% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 41.93272, -85.32910
- MI DNR lake ID
- L22455
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.32×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.2 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Palmer Lake has a substantially developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Slow-no-wake zones.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Modest | 0.6 of 30 | 10% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (6% forest, 4% wetland; 68% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 11.0 of 25 | mean fetch 1,550 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Slow-no-wake zones | 10.2 of 15 | Slow — no wake — designated zones only |
| Public access | Good | 12.8 of 15 | 3 sites with DNR boating-facility records · 3 ramp lanes · 21 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Modest | 0.8 of 15 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 113 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 4,829 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 — 6% forest and 4% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking8 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 Pike
Channel Catfish
Walleyestocked
Largemouth Bass
Redear Sunfish
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock BassFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 8 species found here — 8 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 · 1999–2025Trophy-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.
Biggest on record
Bait: wax worm (3) · artificial lure (1) · was worm (1)
Method: spincasting (6) · still fishing (5) · ice fishing (1)
Fishery
DNR SFR 2012-139Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1992–2025Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingCity-managed · Free · No bathrooms restrooms · Dirt parking
Amenities: Bait store, boat launch, grills, picnic tables, playground, swimming access, water pump
“360 acre lake located in St. Joseph county. Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet and an average depth of nine feet.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distancePalmer Lake — common questions
How deep is Palmer Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Palmer Lake is 40 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 Palmer Lake?
Palmer Lake covers about 468 acres in St. Joseph County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Palmer Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Palmer Lake is 13.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Palmer Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, bluegill, redear sunfish. The page lists all 8 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Palmer Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 2 public access sites on Palmer Lake, including Palmer Lake.
