Big Turkey Lake
Steuben County, Indiana470 acresView mapDirections
IDEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Turkey Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 65 ft max depth
Big Turkey Lake in Steuben County, Indiana has water-quality measurements published by IDEM, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 51 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 470 acres.
Big Turkey Lake is a 470-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Steuben County, Indiana with a maximum depth of 65 feet (16-foot average).
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, IDEM, last sampled 2024-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Big Turkey Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water65 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Turkey Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Big Turkey Lake
These are the measurements IDEM publishes for Big Turkey Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 51 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19 µg/L.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 51µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 19µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Big Turkey Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
65 ft
Average depth
16.1 ft
Surface area
470 acres
Shoreline
9.1 mi
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Turkey Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Turkey Lake in Steuben County, Indiana — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Big Turkey Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Turkey Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Indiana’s top lakes →
Follow Big Turkey Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Big Turkey Lake
Nearby Lakes in Steuben County
Frequently asked questions about Big Turkey Lake
Where is Big Turkey Lake?
- Big Turkey Lake is a lake in Steuben County, Indiana. Its water-quality measurements are published by IDEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Turkey Lake?
- Big Turkey Lake in Steuben County, Indiana has water-quality measurements published by IDEM, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 51 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 470 acres.
Is Big Turkey Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Turkey Lake?
- Big Turkey Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet and an average depth of 16.1 feet. The lake covers 470 acres.
Explore Big Turkey Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northern Indiana Lake Country area
Where to stay at Indiana's top lakes, each with its readings
Indiana's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Indiana
Other Lakes in Indiana
Eutrophic Lakes in Indiana
Compare Big Turkey Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
Measurements for Big Turkey Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.