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Map of Black Donald Lake with depth contours

Black Donald Lake

45.2168° N, 76.9397° W

Depth contours from the government survey. Not for navigation.

Download the depth map (SVG)

Black Donald Lake, Ontario. 45.2168° N, 76.9397° W

Maximum depth 42.7 m. Scale bar on the map.

Not for navigation. Depths are from government surveys and may be outdated.

borealbound.ca/lakes/on/black-donald-lake/, compiled October 9, 2026

  • Canadian Geographical Names Database, Natural Resources Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
  • HydroLAKES v1.0, Messager et al. 2016 / WWF HydroSHEDS. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  • Census boundaries and population, 2021, Statistics Canada. Adapted from Statistics Canada. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada.
  • Aquatic Resource Area survey points, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  • Fishing access points, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  • Fisheries Management Zones, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  • Lake Partner Program, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  • Bathymetry lines and survey index, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  • City page weather forecasts and alerts, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains data from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC Data Servers End-use Licence).
  • Guide to Eating Ontario Fish: Advisory Database, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.

Black Donald Lake is 42.7 m deep at its deepest point, deeper than 90% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario. It covers 30.6 km² and lies beside Black Donald.

Government surveys have recorded 14 fish species here, including rock bass, walleye and yellow perch.

Maximum depth
42.7 m
deeper than 90% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Area
30.6 km²
larger than 98% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Shoreline
216 km
longer than 99% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Water clarity
3.5 mSecchi depth, 2008
less clear than 52% of the 1,251 monitored lakes in Ontario
Fish species
14
more than 86% of the 2,454 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Elevation
247 m

Today on the water

choppy Estimated waves, next 12 hours: up to 0.3 m. Around 12 p.m., wind from the northwest: the northwest shore is sheltered, waves build toward the southeast shore.

Time5 a.m.8 a.m.11 a.m.2 p.m.5 p.m.8 p.m.11 p.m.2 a.m.
Wind km/hW 15W 15W 15NW 30NW 30NW 15var. 5var. 5
Gusts km/h5050
Waves (est.) m0.20.20.20.30.3
Temp. °C3591213841
Precip. %40404040202000

Tonight: Partly cloudy with 60 percent chance of showers. Risk of a thunderstorm early this evening. Wind west 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming light this evening. Low plus 3.

Weather: Renfrew (local forecast), as of 4:05 a.m. EDT

Sun and moon

Civil dawn
6:46 a.m.
Sunrise
7:16 a.m.
Sunset
6:33 p.m.
Civil dusk
7:02 p.m.
Moonrise
6:07 a.m.
Moonset
5:51 p.m.
Moon
Waning crescent, 1% lit

Data Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada. Local times.

How waves are estimated

Significant wave height from the forecast hourly wind and the open-water distance (fetch) upwind, using the SMB method (US Army Corps of Engineers Shore Protection Manual, 1984), rounded up to the next 0.1 m. It is not a measurement: gusts, leftover swell and shoals can make water rougher. Under 0.2 m: calm; 0.2–0.5 m: choppy; over 0.5 m: rough.

Depth

27% of Black Donald Lake is deeper than 20 m.

How to read it: the lake’s area is sorted from the shore to the deepest point. Where the curve is flat, large areas share one depth (flats and weed beds); where it drops, depth changes quickly (drop-offs).

The government depth survey records a maximum depth of 42.7 m, drawn from 90 depth contours.

Not for navigation. Depths are from government surveys and may be outdated.

Fish

Sport fish by the share of the 31 government surveys (2009–2009) that recorded them.

  • Rock Bass20 of 31
  • Walleye13 of 31
  • Yellow Perch12 of 31
  • Smallmouth Bass8 of 31
  • Burbot6 of 31
  • Cisco4 of 31
  • Lake Whitefish3 of 31
  • Pumpkinseed3 of 31
  • Northern Pike2 of 31
Forage fish and other species (5)

Forage fish

  • Common Shiner 4
  • Golden Shiner 3
  • Logperch 1

Other

  • White Sucker 9
  • Brown Bullhead 2

Numbers are the surveys that recorded each species.

Eating your catch

The provincial guide to eating fish (2026) sets limits for 6 species from Black Donald Lake. Maximum meals per month:

SpeciesLengthGeneral populationSensitive population*Contaminant
Lake Whitefish45-50 cm124Mercury
Northern Pike55-60 cm4Do not eatMercury
Smallmouth Bass35-40 cm4Do not eatMercury
Walleye40-45 cm4Do not eatMercury
Yellow Perch20-25 cm164Mercury
White Sucker40-45 cm168Precautionary

* As defined in the guide, including children and people who are or may become pregnant. Limits are for the length the guide lists most often; they change with the size of the fish. Read the official guide

Fishing regulations: Fisheries Management Zone 15. Check seasons and limits before you fish.

Water

Clarity was measured with a Secchi disk in 14 years between 1980 and 2008; the latest annual mean is 3.5 m.

Water clarity (Secchi depth, m)
Total phosphorus (µg/L)

Getting on the water

8 listed boat launches; 1 with parking listed. marks launches on the map.

Northeast shore

East shore

Southwest shore

West shore