Bell Pond
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Bell Pond is mapped to a depth of 27 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 13 acres in Vigo County, Indiana.
Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 27 ft
- Surface area
- 13 acres
- Shoreline
- 0.84 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Boat Ramp · Indiana DNR site
Additional depth details9 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–27 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 27 ft
Provenance
Sources: IN DNR Lake Bathymetry, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
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Map details & sources4 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. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 39.45669, -87.45701
- IN DNR lake ID
- bell-pond
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.76× below the waterline; land at true scale
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 0.5 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-21Bell Pond has a mixed natural and developed setting, well sheltered geometry, some nearby classified roads. 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 | 6.8 of 30 | 36% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (31% forest, 5% wetland; 23% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Excellent | 25.0 of 25 | mean fetch 218 m · 100% 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 | 10.5 of 15 | 1 DNR fishing access site · shoreline access |
| Road isolation | Good | 6.9 of 15 | some nearby classified roads · 16 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 28,208 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
- Moderate — narrow in places — wakes would carry across parts 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 — 31% forest and 5% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Indiana lakes by Paddling Index →
Non-native species records
No non-native species recorded in the available dataset. This does not confirm that no non-native species are present.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
Bell Pond — common questions
How deep is Bell Pond?
The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of Bell Pond is 27 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 Bell Pond?
Bell Pond covers about 13 acres in Vigo County, Indiana.
Is there public access to Bell Pond?
Yes, from shore. The Indiana DNR lists a public access site on Bell Pond: a shoreline fishing site. The DNR records no fee. DNR directions: "Terre Haute."
