The Backwaters

Kosciusko County, Indiana · IN DNR bathymetric survey

6ft Max
depth

154 acres 6 contours Public access 25% weedy

Paddling Index67Mixedsheltered geometry · wooded shoreline

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Depth scale

0123456

The lake

Survey readout

The Backwaters is mapped to a depth of 6 ft on the Indiana DNR survey and covers about 154 acres in Kosciusko County, Indiana. Depths come from the Indiana DNR survey of 2018.

Measured from the Indiana DNR lake bathymetry survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 6 ft
Survey year: 2018
Surface area: 154 acres
Shoreline: 3.26 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 25% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Ramp · Backwater Lake · Indiana DNR site

Additional depth details6 contours

Contour depths: 0–6 ft
Recorded point soundings: 6 ft, 2 ft, 2 ft, 2 ft, 2 ft, 2 ft

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Location

Kosciusko County, Indiana · all 14 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: 41.31300, -85.66277
IN DNR lake ID: 155351290
Vertical exaggeration: 12.0× below the waterline; land at true scale
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.2 MB

Paddling

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

67 / 100MixedData confidence: High

The Backwaters has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, generally 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	Very Good	19.2 of 30	70% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (23% forest, 47% wetland; 21% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Very Good	19.7 of 25	mean fetch 696 m · 17% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch
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	12.8 of 15	1 DNR fishing access site · boat ramp · ADA-accessible · fishing pier
Road isolation	Good	8.0 of 15	some nearby classified roads · 7 INDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,207 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: Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: Moderate — approximately 25% 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: High — 23% forest and 47% 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 9-7-4(c) names this water: Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge here must be at least 44 inches (312 IAC 9-7-4(c)), not the statewide 36; one per day in total.

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 a muskellunge or tiger muskellunge unless that muskellunge or tiger muskellunge is at least forty-four (44) inches long from the following lakes in Kosciusko County: (2) Backwater Lake.” — 312 IAC 9-7-4(c), 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

The Backwaters — common questions

How deep is The Backwaters?

The deepest contour on the Indiana DNR bathymetric survey of The Backwaters 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 The Backwaters?

The Backwaters covers about 154 acres in Kosciusko County, Indiana.

Is there public access to The Backwaters?

Yes. The Indiana DNR lists a public access site on The Backwaters: a boat ramp with a fishing pier, a boat dock, restrooms and ADA access. The DNR records no fee. DNR directions: "One mile east of North Webster on 744 Backwater Rd."

More lakes in Kosciusko County