211 



Orientation. — A higlit of land (morain) extends from the nortlieastern corner 

 of Indiana directly southwest to south of Albion in Noljle County, and from here 

 westward between Turkey Lake and Tippecanoe Lake, then northwest through 

 Nappanee in Elkhart County to near South Bend. In its range from the north- 

 eastern corner to south of Albion this ridge separates the Lake Michigan from the 

 Lake Erie basin. West of this it separates Lake Michigan basin from the Ohio 

 basin, and still farther west from the Mississippi basin proper. In the eastern 

 half of Indiana this ridge is exceedingly rich in lakes. Most of these lie on the 

 northern side of the divide, but about the headwaters of the Tippecanoe and Blue 

 rivers many are also found on the south side of the divide. A glance at the map 

 leaves the impression that this region is low and swampy, while in reality this 

 whole region forms one of the highlands of Indiana, a considerable part being- 

 over 1,000 feet high. 



Turkey Lake is the most western lake of this series lying north of the divide. 



It lies in Turkey Creek Township, in the northeastern corner of Kosciusko 

 County. South of the ridge separating the ^lississippi and St. Lawrence basins 

 at this point lie Webster and Tippecanoe lakes, and south of these the Barber lakes 

 and Shoe Lake. Between the crest of the ridge and Turkey Lake the country is 

 pitted and grooved. Many of the pits are filled with water, forming ponds of 

 various sizes. One of these has recently been drained. Many more lakelets are 

 found about the head of Turkey Lake, but the topography of this region will be 

 dealt with in one of the following reports. This whole region gives one the im- 

 pression that it has changed but little since the ice left it. 



General Features. — The lake has a general trend from southeast to north- 

 west. It is divided by a wide stretch of very shallow water, which is fast being 

 reclaimed by various water plants. A deeper channel extends through this 

 swampy region, connecting the upper and lower portions. 



The greatest length from the head of Turkey Lake to the end of Syracuse 

 Lake is live and one-half miles. The width, measured at right angles to such a 

 line, rarely exceeds a mile. The greatest width is just east of Ogden Point, where 

 it measures one and a half miles. The length of Turkey Lake from Mineral 

 Point to Conkling Hill is about four miles. The total shore line is between twenty 

 and twenty-one miles. 



The excellent map prepared by Messrs. Juday and Ridgley, based as it is on 

 numerous soundings, shows the lake bottom to be of the same rolling character as 

 the surrounding region. A lowering of the surface of the lake ten feet would 

 make the long stretch of territory between Syracuse and Turkey lakes dry land, 

 and make the lake entirely landlocked. 



