Map of White Lake with depth contours

White Lake

44.5257° N, 78.0931° W

Depth contours from the government survey. Not for navigation.

Download the depth map (SVG)

White Lake is 9.1 m deep at its deepest point, shallower than 76% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario. It covers 1.81 km² and lies beside Gilchrist Bay.

Government surveys have recorded 12 fish species here, including yellow perch, bluegill and pumpkinseed.

Maximum depth
9.1 m
shallower than 76% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Area
1.81 km²
larger than 79% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Shoreline
8 km
longer than 67% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Water clarity
5.1 mSecchi depth, 2025
clearer than 81% of the 1,251 monitored lakes in Ontario
Fish species
12
more than 81% of the 2,454 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Elevation
232 m

Today on the water

5.5 °C

Wind NW 4 km/h

Observed at Apsley, as of 4:00 a.m. EDT

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.

Hourly forecast, next 24 hours
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.) m0.10.10.10.30.3
Temp. °C46101314841
Precip. %2040402020000

Tonight: Partly cloudy. 60 percent chance of showers this evening. Risk of a thunderstorm early this evening. Wind west 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming light this evening. Low plus 4.

Weather: Apsley (local forecast), as of 4:02 a.m. EDT

Sun and moon

Civil dawn
6:50 a.m.
Sunrise
7:20 a.m.
Sunset
6:38 p.m.
Civil dusk
7:07 p.m.
Moonrise
6:12 a.m.
Moonset
5:56 p.m.
Moon
Waning crescent, 1% lit

Air Quality Health Index

1 low risk

Peterborough, as of 4:00 a.m. EDT

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

61% of White Lake is shallower than 3 m, and 23% is deeper than 5 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 9.1 m, drawn from 7 depth contours.

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 Depths are from government surveys and may be outdated.

Fish

Sport fish by the share of the 14 government surveys (2008–2008) that recorded them.

  • Yellow Perch13 of 14
  • Bluegill9 of 14
  • Pumpkinseed7 of 14
  • Rock Bass7 of 14
  • Smallmouth Bass5 of 14
  • Walleye5 of 14
  • Largemouth Bass4 of 14
  • Black Crappie1 of 14
  • Muskellunge1 of 14
Other species (3)
  • White Sucker 6
  • Brown Bullhead 4
  • Black Bullhead 1

Numbers are the surveys that recorded each species.

Eating your catch

The provincial guide to eating fish (2026) sets limits for 3 species from White Lake. Maximum meals per month:

SpeciesLengthGeneral populationSensitive population*Contaminant
Smallmouth Bass30-35 cm164Mercury
Walleye40-45 cm128PCB
Yellow Perch20-25 cm168Mercury

* 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 17. Check seasons and limits before you fish.

Water

Clarity was measured with a Secchi disk in 29 years between 1996 and 2025; the latest annual mean is 5.1 m.

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

Getting on the water

1 listed boat launch. marks launches on the map.