| Van Norman Lake | |
| Location: | Oakland County, Michigan, U.S. |
| Coords: | 42.7042°N -83.4132°W |
| Type: | Reservoir |
| Basin Countries: | United States |
| Area: | 66acres |
| Max-Depth: | 90feet |
| Elevation: | 295m (968feet)[1] |
| Islands: | one |
| Cities: | Independence Township, Waterford Township[2] |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan#USA |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of the lake in Michigan. |
Van Norman Lake is a private, all-sports, 66acres lake along the main branch of the Clinton River,[3] in Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the lake lies within Independence Township; however, the southern portion of the lake is in Waterford Township.[4]
The lake was formed when a dam was built in the late 19th century on the Clinton River near Dixie Highway and Andersonville Road. Prior to then, a small pond existed in Waterford Village on the southeastern shore.[5]
The 90adj=midNaNadj=mid lake currently has one island. There were three islands as late as the 1980s; however, two have since disappeared due to erosion.[6]
Van Norman Lake connects upstream to Lester Lake and Greens Lake) to the east and downstream to Townsend Lake and Woodhull Lake to the west.[7]
Van Norman Lake is the deepest lake in Independence Township and the sixth-deepest of the 387 lakes in Oakland County.
Van Norman Lake was named for Zenas Harvey Van Norman,[8] who owned the property along the entire northern shore of the lake from 1886 to 1916. That property was section 32 in Independence Township, Michigan, also known as Waterford Hill.[9] With an elevation of, his property was the second highest point in Independence Township.[10]
Prior to being named Van Norman Lake, the lake was called Mill Pond.
Fish in Van Norman Lake include pumpkinseed sunfish, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike and crappie.[11]