Decature County Park Lake

Decatur County, Indiana · IN DNR bathymetric survey

6ft Max
depth

17 acres 3 contours Public access 27% weedy

Paddling Index55Mixedelectric motors only · sheltered geometry

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Depth scale

0246

The lake

Survey readout

Decature County Park Lake is mapped to a depth of 6 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 17 acres in Decatur County, Indiana. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2016.

Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 6 ft
Survey year: 2016
Surface area: 17 acres
Shoreline: 1.3 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 27% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Ramp · Decatur Lake · Indiana DNR site

Additional depth details3 contours

Contour depths: 0–6 ft
Recorded point soundings: 6 ft

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Location

Decatur County, Indiana · the only mapped lake in this county

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: 39.33122, -85.51649
IN DNR lake ID: 58752954
Vertical exaggeration: 3.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 1.0 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-21

55 / 100MixedData confidence: High

Decature County Park Lake has a substantially developed setting, well sheltered geometry, substantial nearby higher-volume roads. Watercraft controls: Electric motors only.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Modest	0.6 of 30	8% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (7% forest, 0% wetland; 84% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Excellent	25.0 of 25	mean fetch 256 m · 100% 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	Modest	2.5 of 15	substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 13 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 10,823 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: High — narrow throughout — passing wakes would reach most of the water
Aquatic vegetation: Moderate — approximately 27% 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 — 7% forest and 0% 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

Decature County Park Lake — common questions

How deep is Decature County Park Lake?

The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of Decature County Park Lake is 6 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 Decature County Park Lake?

Decature County Park Lake covers about 17 acres in Decatur County, Indiana.

Is there public access to Decature County Park Lake?

Yes. The Indiana DNR lists a public access site on Decature County Park Lake: a boat ramp with restrooms. The DNR notes that an entry fee applies.