Facts and Data

Lake Monroe Facts

• Lake Monroe was designed and built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) beginning in 1960 and became fully operational in 1965.

• The purpose of the lake is flood control, water supply, and low-flow augmentation for downstream waters.

• The normal pool for the lake is 538’ above mean sea level (MSL).

• At normal pool, the lake has an area of 10,750 acres and is the largest lake in Indiana.

• The maximum depth of Lake Monroe is 54’ in the bed of Salt Creek near the dam. The average depth is 17’.

• The shoreline length of Lake Monroe is 103 miles at a normal pool.

• Lake Monroe lies mostly in Monroe County (88%), with the remaining 12% in Brown  County.

• Lake Monroe serves as the sole source of drinking water for over 120,000 people, serving residents in Monroe and Brown Counties.

• Lake Monroe attracts over a million visitors per year. Popular activities include sightseeing, fishing, swimming, picnicking, boating, skiing, and birding.

• Lake Monroe is a wildlife resource for a variety of species including the federally endangered clubshell mussel and Indiana bat.