Wells Lake
depth
Get directions
Depth scale
Survey readout
Wells Lake is mapped to a depth of 82 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 48 acres in Osceola County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest sounding
- 82 ft
- Mean depth
- 20.7 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 48 acres
- Estimated volume
- 989 acre-ft · 322M gal
- Shoreline
- 1.18 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 4% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Launch
Additional depth details11 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–82 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 82 ft
34.7% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft; 31.9% 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 Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.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
- 43.99694, -85.41495
- MI DNR lake ID
- L15799
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.2 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Wells Lake has a mixed natural and developed setting, well sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure. 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 | Mixed | 11.0 of 30 | 50% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (39% forest, 11% wetland; 38% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Excellent | 25.0 of 25 | mean fetch 464 m · 68% 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 · 7 trailer spaces |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 10.1 of 15 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 9 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 605 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 4% 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 — 39% forest and 11% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches & active stocking3 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
PumpkinseedHistorically stocked, no recent evidence: Rainbow Trout (last planted 2006), Brown Trout (last planted 1990) — not shown above.
Fishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 3 species found here — 3 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.
Official rule text for this lake
“no size limit on Northern Pike and up to five (5) Northern Pike may be retained in the daily possession limit with only one (1) 24- inches or greater.” — FO-206
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 · 1997–2019Master Angler catches recorded on this lake — too few to show a pattern, so they are listed individually.
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 1979–2006Fish the Michigan DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
No stockings recorded since 2006 — shown as history.
Non-native species records
1 recordOther invertebrates
- Freshwater Jellyfish
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 distanceWells Lake — common questions
How deep is Wells Lake?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Wells Lake is 82 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 Wells Lake?
Wells Lake covers about 48 acres in Osceola County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Wells Lake?
The estimated mean depth of Wells Lake is 20.7 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Wells Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed. The page shows the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Wells Lake?
Yes. The Michigan DNR boat-launch data identifies 1 public access site on Wells Lake, including Wells Lake.
