Sanford Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Sanford Lake is mapped to a depth of 20 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 1,210 acres in Midland County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 20 ft
- Mean depth
- 10.5 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 1,210 acres
- Estimated volume
- 12,748 acre-ft · 4,154M gal
- Shoreline
- 22.44 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 56% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details4 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–20 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 20 ft
40.6% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 1.1% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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.
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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
- 43.71230, -84.38729
- MI DNR lake ID
- L1639
- Vertical exaggeration
- 10.63× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.6 MB
Watercraft rules
county-enforced local controls · MI DNROfficial rule details1 rule
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Sanford Lake has a mixed natural and 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 | Mixed | 9.1 of 35 | 44% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (14% forest, 28% wetland; 41% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 8.9 of 29 | mean fetch 2,167 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | Slow-no-wake zones | 12.0 of 18 | Slow — no wake — 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 · 140 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 23,672 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
- High — approximately 56% 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
- Moderate — 14% forest and 28% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches, DNR surveys & active stocking29 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Muskellunge
Flathead Catfish
Northern Pike
Common Carp
Bowfin
Channel Catfish
Walleye
Greater Redhorse
Redhorse Sucker
Largemouth Bass
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
White Bass
Brown Bullhead
Black CrappieCrappie
Yellow Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Pumpkinseed
Green Sunfish
Golden Shiner
Stonecat
Brook Silverside
Logperch
Banded Killifish
Bluntnose Minnow
Spotfin ShinerFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 29 species found here — 28 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 · 1994–2025Trophy-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 species13 species
Biggest on record
Bait: corn (15) · artificial lure (8) · minnow (7)
Method: spincasting (57) · still fishing (54) · trolling (4) · drift fishing (3)
Fishery
surveyed 2015 · DNR SFR 2016-216Gamefish Northern Pike 35 · Channel Catfish 34 · Largemouth Bass 21 · Walleye 17
Panfish Bluegill 711 · Pumpkinseed 243 · Black Crappie 209
All survey species25 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2019Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Complete stocking history5 older species
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingPrivate-managed · Entry fee · Modern restrooms · Paved parking
Amenities: Animal-friendly, beach, boat launch, concessions, grills, picnic tables, playground, shelter, swimming access, walking trails
“Sanford Lake is an impounedment on the Tittabawassee River. It is primarily surrounded by private homes. Midland County has a park located by the dam at the south end of the lake.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceBait & tackle nearby
licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distanceSanford Lake — common questions
How deep is Sanford Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Sanford 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 Sanford Lake?
Sanford Lake covers about 1,210 acres in Midland County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Sanford Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Sanford Lake is 10.5 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Sanford Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include channel catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, smallmouth bass. The page lists all 29 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Sanford Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 2 public access sites on Sanford Lake, including Sandford Lake.