Good news for Hoosier anglers: new lake depth maps now online

Indiana DNR Release:



Maps of selected Indiana lakes, which show their depths in greater detail than available previously, are available online at no charge, making a Web site visit a wise move before fishing or enjoying other water sports.

These maps are at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5759.htm

"To catch fish you first have to find fish," said Bill James, DNR's chief of fisheries. "These updated maps will help anglers find selected depths, drop-offs, bottom contours and other promising fishing spots. While this information can also be obtained from electronic depth finders, the maps provide a free, quick, lake-wide look at these important underwater features."

Knowing lake depths can also be helpful to property owners, boaters, swimmers and anyone else interested in knowing how the where the water is deep or shallow enough to enjoy their favorite activities as warmer weather approaches.

“These maps should help recreational boaters avoid hazards, but boaters should always be prepared for any water emergency by wearing a life jacket at all times while enjoying Indiana’s waterways,” said Lt. Mark Farmer, public information officer for the DNR Division of Law Enforcement.

Lake maps available include LaGrange County’s Atwood, Big Long, Cedar, Hackenberg, Little Turkey, Messick, Stone and Witmer; Noble County’s Cree, Jones, Latta, Steinbarger and Waldron;. Kosciusko County’s Hill, Little Pike, Pike and Silver; Steuben County’s Gage, Lime and Meserve; LaPorte County’s lakes Clear and Hudson; Marshall County’s Gilbert and Lake of the Woods; Monroe County’s Griffy; Porter County’s Loomis; and Elkhart County’s Simonton.

The depth maps were developed through the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) Section, which completed vegetation and bathymetric (depth) surveys on the lakes starting in 2007.

The maps are copyrighted by DNR. Permission is granted for reprint with credit given to the DNR.

In making the maps, the LARE staff uses technology that wasn’t available in the 1950s, when many lakes were previously mapped, to determine depth and other parameters important to DNR biologists who work with and study the lakes. The speed use of this technology far exceeds that of the methods used to develop maps in the 1920s for some Indiana lakes on file in the Indiana State Library’s historical archives.