Lake Size: 629 Acres Shoreline Length (Miles): 5 miles Deepest Depth: Less than 5 feet deep Latitude: 42.3859 Longitude: -84.7858 Lake Level Above Sea Level: 928 feet (283 meters) Counties: Calhoun County Cities: Battle Creek
"With 629 surface acres of water, Duck Lake is the largest lake in Calhoun County. The small community of Springport lies only 4 miles east of the lake. Three large metropolitan areas are nearly equidistant (25 miles) from Duck Lake: Lansing is north-northeast; Battle Creek is west-southwest; and Jackson is southeast. The smaller City of Albion is about 12 miles south.
Lake bottom substrates are primarily marl with lesser amounts of sand and peat. The water is usually very clear. Secchi disk readings of up to 25 feet have been recorded in the past. One-third of the water column is less than 5 feet deep, but much of the remainder is greater than 10 feet in depth (see map of Duck Lake). The maximum depth is 50 feet. The basin is rather complex with shoals, ""sunken islands"", weed beds, and drop-offs. The lake basin map (developed in 1938) has been criticized by anglers for not depicting some of the shallow shoals surrounded by deep water near the center of the lake. An aerial photograph (see photograph) taken in 1988 indicates the presence of at least four of these shoals (some anglers have reported as many as seven).
Aquatic plants are quite sparse near the shore. This is primarily due to extensive beach development around most of the lake. However, weed beds (primarily coontail) are present in deeper water (3-15 feet) and in the shallows to a small degree along the northwestern and far southwestern shores. Large coontail beds appear as dark dots in Figure 2 (in the northern, shallow end of the lake).
There are no inlets of consequence, and only one small outlet (on the north shore). Land use along the shoreline is primarily residential. However, within a mile of the shoreline in nearly every direction the land is either wooded or farmed.
In November of 1971, Calhoun County Health Department studies documented pollution in Duck Lake apparently from seeping (and some direct flow) septic systems. Federal and State grants were acquired for the construction of a sewage treatment plant. The Duck Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant was built during the 1980's and now collects and treats the sewage in the Duck Lake area of Clarence Township.
In 1947, the Department of Natural Resources developed an access site on the northwest shore. In 1974, this site was enlarged and developed with concrete ramps, skid piers, vault toilets, and paved parking areas. The parking area is large enough for 28 cars with trailers. An entrance fee is charged for using the access on summer weekends and holidays when parking congestion can occur unless an attendant is present. This site completely fills with cars by 7:00 A.M. on fair-weather weekend days during the summer. Even on this large lake, powerboat wakes by 10:00 A.M. make fishing more challenging than most anglers are willing to endure. Few anglers attempt to use this fishery during the middle of the day."
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