Kunkel Lake

Wells County, Indiana · IN DNR bathymetric survey

12ft Max
depth

24 acres 6 contours Public access

Paddling Index77Goodaway from major roads · electric motors only · sheltered geometry

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Depth scale

024681012

The lake

Survey readout

Kunkel Lake is mapped to a depth of 12 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 24 acres in Wells County, Indiana. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2014.

Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 12 ft
Survey year: 2014
Surface area: 24 acres
Shoreline: 1.01 mi · lobed
Aquatic vegetation: 7% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Ramp · Indiana DNR site

Additional depth details6 contours

Contour depths: 0–12 ft
Recorded point soundings: 12 ft

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Location

Wells 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).

⚠ Not for navigation

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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: 40.72082, -85.10671
IN DNR lake ID: 37611253
Vertical exaggeration: 3.0×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 1.2 MB

Paddling

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

77 / 100GoodData confidence: High

Kunkel Lake has a mixed natural and developed setting, well sheltered geometry, little 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	Mixed	11.5 of 30	50% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (49% forest, 1% wetland; 29% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Excellent	25.0 of 25	mean fetch 374 m · 88% 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 · fishing pier
Road isolation	Excellent	13.2 of 15	relatively isolated from major roads · 2 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 2,106 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 7% 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 — 49% 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.

Fishing rules

No recent catch, survey, or stocking data for this lake — but a fisheries order still governs it.

Fishing rules for this lake Beta

Rules that apply to this water, whatever you are fishing for.

These are hook-and-line size and daily limit rules. The fishing code sets no closed season for these species on inland lakes, but posted property rules can close a water — see the notes. Gear, spearing and bow fishing, netting and bait collection are set by other sections of 312 IAC 9 and are not shown here.

Beta. This panel is newly published. Every value is transcribed from the Indiana Administrative Code (312 IAC 9-7) and checked against the Indiana DNR's 2026-27 Fishing Regulations Guide, but the coverage and wording are still under review. If anything here disagrees with 312 IAC 9-7 or the Indiana DNR's guide, the DNR is right — the Administrative Code is the legal text; the guide summarizes it.

312 IAC 9-7-6(i) names this water: Largemouth bass here: 2 per day, at least 18 inches (312 IAC 9-7-6(i)) — not the statewide 5 at 14 inches.

No closed season in the fishing code: 312 IAC 9-7 sets no season for these species on inland lakes (trout and salmon “at any time of year”, 9-7-13(d)(1)). Posted property rules can still close a water or bar entry (312 IAC 8-2-1) and 312 IAC 9-6-6 closes a few named areas, so check the property before you go. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit (312 IAC 9-1-12.1); fish already processed and stored at your primary residence do not count toward it (312 IAC 9-2-8(d)).

Official rule text for this lake

“An individual must not take or possess more than two (2) largemouth bass per day, and an individual must not take or possess a largemouth bass unless the largemouth bass is at least eighteen (18) inches long from the following designated waters: (7) Kunkel Lake in Wells County.” — 312 IAC 9-7-6(i), Indiana Administrative Code

From 312 IAC 9-7 (Sport fishing), Indiana Administrative Code (readopted 2025-03-25), and the 2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide · verified 2026-09-15. Regulations can change — the Indiana Administrative Code (312 IAC 9-7) is the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations

Quick answers

Kunkel Lake — common questions

How deep is Kunkel Lake?

The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of Kunkel Lake is 12 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 Kunkel Lake?

Kunkel Lake covers about 24 acres in Wells County, Indiana.

Is there public access to Kunkel Lake?

Yes. The Indiana DNR lists a public access site on Kunkel Lake: a boat ramp with a fishing pier, a boat dock and restrooms. The DNR notes that an entry fee applies. DNR directions: "Ouabache State Park."