Empire Lake
49.72° N, 90.2473° W
Depth contours from the government survey. Not for navigation.
Download the depth map (SVG)Empire Lake, Ontario. 49.72° N, 90.2473° W
Maximum depth 18.3 m. Scale bar on the map.
Not for navigation. Depths are from government surveys and may be outdated.
borealbound.ca/lakes/on/empire-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.
- Fisheries Management Zones, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 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.
- Guide to Eating Ontario Fish: Advisory Database, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Empire Lake is 18.3 m deep at its deepest point, deeper than 54% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario. It covers 6.9 km² and lies 55 km south of Allanwater Bridge.
Government surveys have recorded 12 fish species here, including walleye, cisco and northern pike.
- Maximum depth
- 18.3 m
- deeper than 54% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario
- Area
- 6.9 km²
- larger than 93% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
- Shoreline
- 39 km
- longer than 94% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
- Fish species
- 12
- more than 81% of the 2,454 surveyed lakes in Ontario
- Elevation
- 445 m
Sun and moon today
- Civil dawn
- 6:41 a.m.
- Sunrise
- 7:13 a.m.
- Sunset
- 6:22 p.m.
- Civil dusk
- 6:54 p.m.
- Moonrise
- 6:05 a.m.
- Moonset
- 5:41 p.m.
- Moon
- Waning crescent, 1% lit
Depth
32% of Empire Lake is shallower than 3 m, and 25% is deeper than 10 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 18.3 m, drawn from 12 depth contours.
- Download the depth map (SVG)Printing this page gives the map on one sheet, with scale and sources.
Not for navigation. Depths are from government surveys and may be outdated.
Fish
Sport fish by the share of the 19 government surveys (2008–2008) that recorded them.
Forage fish and other species (5)
Forage fish
- Trout-Perch 5
- Spottail Shiner 4
- Lake Chub 2
- Mottled Sculpin 2
Other
- White Sucker 11
Numbers are the surveys that recorded each species.
Eating your catch
The provincial guide to eating fish (2026) sets limits for 5 species from Empire Lake. Maximum meals per month:
| Species | Length | General population | Sensitive population* | Contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Whitefish | 45-50 cm | 16 | 8 | Mercury |
| Northern Pike | 55-60 cm | 4 | Do not eat | Mercury |
| Walleye | 40-45 cm | 4 | Do not eat | Mercury |
| Burbot (Ling) | 50-55 cm | 8 | Do not eat | Mercury |
| White Sucker | 40-45 cm | 16 | 16 | Precautionary |
* 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 6. Check seasons and limits before you fish.