Oakland County · Michigan

Orchard Lake

Soundings in feet · 796 acres · deepest 111 ft

Today on the lake

Updated 9 Oct 2026, 3:25 am EDT. Get alerts for Orchard Lake

WEATHEROvernight: clear, 44°F, wind W 5 mph. Friday: sunny, 68°F, wind WSW 3 to 7 mph.

WARNINGSNo weather or fire warnings in effect.

FIRENo wildfires or prescribed burns reported within 25 miles.

BURNINGCampfires and debris burning: check today's status with Michigan DNR.

ALGAENo cyanobacteria detected by satellite on 6 Oct 2026, the latest clear-sky image.

LAUNCHESOrchard Lake: listed open. Michigan DNR record updated 3 Apr 2026.

National Weather Service; National Interagency Fire Center; U.S. EPA CyAN satellite; Michigan DHHS; Michigan DNR. Weather, warnings, fires and satellite refresh when you open the page (checked at most hourly).

Depth map

13 contours, 5 to 111 ft

05102030405060708090100110111feet

Michigan DNR survey, fetched 7 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.

Size and depth

796 acres · deepest 111 ft (measured) · shoreline about 7.7 mi · clarity about 13 ft

Orchard Lake is the 2nd largest of the 290 named lakes of 10 acres or more in Oakland County. By Michigan DNR survey it is the 4th deepest of the 104 with a measured depth. Its water is clearer than 207 of the other 248 lakes in the county with satellite clarity readings. Its shoreline measures about 7.7 miles along the state outline. About 11% of its area is deeper than 60 ft.

Ranks against Oakland County lakes in Michigan hydrography, Michigan DNR lake surveys and Michigan EGLE satellite clarity; shoreline measured from the state outline. How we measure

Getting on the water

1 public access site on Orchard Lake.

Orchard Lake · Dodge 4 State Park · Open

3 ramp lanes · 62 trailer spaces · 2 car spaces · flush toilets · Recreation Passport required

Local boating rules, Oakland County

Michigan DNR boating access, fetched 7 Oct 2026.

Fishing

Michigan DNR has stocked Orchard Lake 8 times since 1979. The most recent stocking was 11 muskellunge on 14 April 2017. Species stocked: brown trout, muskellunge, rainbow trout.

8 stockings, 1979 to 2017, log scale

Latest: 14 Apr 2017: 11 muskellunge.

14 Apr 2017STOCKED11 muskellunge

12 Apr 2017STOCKED9 muskellunge

10 Apr 2017STOCKED10 muskellunge

31 Mar 1983STOCKED40,000 brown trout

4 May 1982STOCKED10,000 brown trout

8 May 1981STOCKED7,000 brown trout

Source: Michigan DNR Fisheries, fetched 7 Oct 2026. How we measure

Where the deep water is

Show water deeper than

Measured from Michigan DNR contours. How we measure

Historically recorded species, from records through 1976: blacknose shiner, bluegill, brindled madtom, brook silverside, brown bullhead, iowa darter, johnny darter, lake chubsucker, lake herring, largemouth bass, least darter, northern longear sunfish, pugnose shiner, pumpkinseed, rosyface shiner, sand shiner, striped shiner, yellow perch. Historic records, not a current survey.

Michigan Fish Atlas.

Water quality

Average water clarity is about 13 ft (Secchi depth 3.8 m, satellite readings 2018–23).

Clarity 12.6 ft of 111 ft

Michigan EGLE satellite clarity, fetched 7 Oct 2026.

Email me about Orchard LakeWhen it is stockedMichigan DNR has stocked Orchard Lake 8 times since 1979, most recently 11 muskellunge on 14 April 2017. None in the last five years.When algae is reported or testedMichigan DHHS has no records for this lake yet. We email when the first one is posted.When satellite sees a bloom startEPA satellite, checked daily, June to October. We email when a bloom first shows on two clear days, not every day it stays. It has not happened in 2026.Any lake in Oakland CountyStockings and algae records on every lake in the county. In 2026 so far: 20 emails.

Orchard Lake has had no stockings or algae records in 2026, so its own alerts would have sent nothing this year. The county alert is on by default.

Email address

At most one email a week per lake. We email you a link to confirm before any alert is sent; every email has a one-click unsubscribe.

Nearby lakes with measured depth

Cass Lake123 ft deep · 0.9 mi · Oakland County

Upper Straits Lake96 ft deep · 1.2 mi · Oakland County

Pine Lake90 ft deep · 1.7 mi · Oakland County

Green Lake72 ft deep · 2.2 mi · Oakland County

Otter Lake70 ft deep · 2.5 mi · Oakland County

Middle Straits Lake55 ft deep · 2.7 mi · Oakland County

Michigan DNR survey; straight-line miles.

Common questions

How deep is Orchard Lake?

Orchard Lake is 111 feet at its deepest point, measured by Michigan DNR survey. It covers 796 acres.

Is there a public boat launch on Orchard Lake?

Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Orchard Lake.

Is Orchard Lake stocked with fish?

Yes. Michigan DNR has stocked it 8 times since 1979, most recently 11 muskellunge on 14 April 2017.

How much of Orchard Lake is deeper than 10 feet?

About 43% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Michigan DNR depth contours.