Desert Lake
220 ft
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Desert Lake is mapped to a depth of 67.1 m (220 ft) on the Ontario MNRF survey and covers about 383 ha (948 acres) in Frontenac County, Ontario. Depths come from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1971.
Measured from the Ontario MNRF bathymetry survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 67.1 m (220 ft)
- Survey year
- 1971
- Surface area
- 383 ha (948 acres)
- Shoreline
- 30.6 km (19.0 mi) · irregular
- Fishing access
- 1 MNRF fishing access point · 1 boat launch
Additional depth details16 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–67.1 m (220 ft)
- Deep-spot markers
- 67.1 m (220 ft)
Provenance
Sources: Ontario MNRF / LIO Bathymetry, OpenStreetMap (ODbL), Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (Sentinel-2), processed by ontariolakedepths.com, Copernicus DEM 30 m (© DLR/Airbus).
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Map details & sources5 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over Copernicus DEM (30 m) elevation, with a Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 44.54270, -76.58908
- MNRF lake ID
- 18-3738-49330
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- Copernicus Sentinel-2 · ESA, via Microsoft Planetary Computer
- Model size
- 1.9 MB
Check the source: this lake’s record (18-3738-49330) in the Ontario MNRF bathymetry index, and the contour line layer the map is drawn from (Land Information Ontario open data, Open Government Licence – Ontario). Survey year: 1971. This model was built 2026-09-06. Depths between contours are interpolated, not measured.
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-16Desert Lake has a heavily wooded and largely undeveloped setting, moderate open-water exposure, substantial nearby higher-volume roads.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Excellent | 31.2 of 35 | 92% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (84% forest, 3% wetland; 6% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 12.9 of 29 | mean fetch 1,619 m · 15% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Motor & speed rules | Not modelled | — | Canada publishes vessel motor and speed restrictions as federal legal schedules, not map data, so they are not part of the Ontario index. Check local signage and Transport Canada rules before going out. |
| Public access | Good | 15.0 of 18 | 1 MNRF fishing access point · boat ramp |
| Road isolation | Modest | 3.8 of 18 | substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 176 Ontario Road Network segments within 1.2 km (traffic estimated from road class, not measured) |
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
- 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 — 84% forest and 3% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
- Mapped wildlife habitat
- None mapped — Ontario MNRF has not mapped moose, deer or waterfowl habitat within 1 km of this lake. The province maps these areas where it has surveyed, so this is not evidence that wildlife is absent. · Ontario MNRF Wildlife Values Area. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Compare Ontario lakes by Paddling Index →
Angler catch reports
Fish ON-Line · 2016–2023What anglers say they caught here, logged trip by trip in Ontario’s Fish ON-Line app — most recently in June 2023.
Pictures are sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
All species & trip details8 species
How people fish it: boat 100%
Catch rate: about 5.3 fish an hour, all species together (5 trips, 30 hours logged)
Kept: 2% of the fish reported; the rest were released
About these fish → the Fish of Ontario guide
Desert Lake — common questions
How deep is Desert Lake?
The deepest contour on the Ontario MNRF bathymetric survey of Desert Lake is 67.1 m (220 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 Desert Lake?
Desert Lake covers about 383 ha (948 acres) in Frontenac County, Ontario.
Is there public access to Desert Lake?
The Ontario MNRF lists 1 fishing access point within 100 m of the shoreline of Desert Lake: 1 boat launch. The list includes municipal and privately owned sites, and some may charge a fee or restrict parking, so it confirms a place anglers use rather than a public right of way. Check locally before you go.
