Dale Reservoir

Spencer County, Indiana · IN DNR bathymetric survey

26ft Max
depth

39 acres 5 contours Public access

Paddling Index77Goodelectric motors only · sheltered geometry · away from major roads

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Depth scale

051015202526

The lake

Survey readout

Dale Reservoir is mapped to a depth of 26 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 39 acres in Spencer County, Indiana. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2018.

Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 26 ft
Survey year: 2018
Surface area: 39 acres
Shoreline: 1.79 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 13% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Ramp · Dale City Reservoir · Indiana DNR site

Additional depth details5 contours

Contour depths: 0–26 ft
Recorded point soundings: 26 ft

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Location

Spencer County, Indiana · all 3 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

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: 38.18276, -86.95736
IN DNR lake ID: 56129478
Vertical exaggeration: 2.8× below the waterline; land at true scale
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 1.9 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-10-08

77 / 100GoodData confidence: High

Dale Reservoir has a partly natural setting, well sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure. Watercraft controls: Electric motors only.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Good	16.5 of 30	56% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (53% forest, 1% wetland; 3% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Excellent	23.5 of 25	mean fetch 521 m · 48% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · short fetch in most directions
Watercraft controls	Electric motors only	14.2 of 15	Electric motors only
Public access	Good	12.8 of 15	1 DNR fishing access site · boat ramp
Road isolation	Very Good	10.0 of 15	limited nearby major-road exposure · 5 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 15,375 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 13% 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 — 53% forest and 1% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Indiana lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public environmental, access, roadway and watercraft-control data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights: natural setting 30%, geometric wind exposure 25%, watercraft controls 15%, public access 15%, road isolation 15%; observed motorboat activity is weighted 0% because no defensible lake-level measurement exists. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Sources: USGS NHD waterbody outline, USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), IN DNR Fishing Access Sites (motor restrictions) (2026-08), IN DNR Fishing Access Sites (2026-08) and INDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (2021). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Quick answers

Dale Reservoir — common questions

How deep is Dale Reservoir?

The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of Dale Reservoir is 26 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 Dale Reservoir?

Dale Reservoir covers about 39 acres in Spencer County, Indiana.

Is there public access to Dale Reservoir?

Yes. The Indiana DNR lists a public access site on Dale Reservoir: a boat ramp with a boat dock. The DNR notes that an entry fee applies. DNR directions: "Northeast of Dale."

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