Your frontage
How many feet of water you own, and which way it faces. Morning coffee on the east shore, sunsets on the west.
White County · Tippecanoe River · Monticello, Indiana
Lake Shafer homes, Monticello
About 1,291 acres of Tippecanoe River water above NIPSCO's Norway Dam, with Monticello on the south end and coves and channels up both shores. Tell me what you want on the water and I'll check the parcel before you sign.
Start with what you want
What you came to the lake for
Depth at the end of the pier
Enough water for the boat you have now and the one you want next, with room for a lift.
The bottom
Sand you can wade on or soft bottom. It changes how the kids and grandkids use the water.
Room for everyone
A bunkroom, a second lot, a garage for the toys. Space for the people who'll come back every summer.
Year-round or weekends
Road access in winter, internet, and the drive back to work or family.
Tell me your list. I'll match it against the shore, the parcel and what's for sale, and reply the same day.
At a glance
Lake Shafer: the basics
| Size | About 1,291 acres; about 10 miles long · source |
|---|---|
| Depth | Average about 12 ft per NIPSCO; Wikipedia lists a 30 ft maximum and silted northern areas near 4 ft · source |
| Dam | Norway Dam, in service 1923, about a mile north of Monticello; owned by NIPSCO since 1944 · source |
| Lake level | Normal level 645.15 ft, licensed range 644.90–645.90 ft. NIPSCO runs the river through rather than storing water, so the level holds within a few inches · source |
| County | White County; Monticello is the county seat (5,508 people in 2020) · source |
| Sewer | Twin Lakes Regional Sewer District, a low-pressure grinder-pump system built 2000–2013 to replace septic around both lakes · source |
| Getting here | I-65 is about 20 miles west of Monticello by US 24 · source |
| Drive | About 30–40 minutes to Lafayette and about 90 minutes to Indianapolis (estimates; sources differ) · source |
The school line
Twin Lakes or North White, by township
Township records point to the lake touching Union, Liberty and Monon townships. Union Township is Twin Lakes School Corporation. Liberty is mostly North White, with a small piece in Twin Lakes. Monon is North White. So the shore can split between two districts.
- Twin Lakes School Corporation — Union Township; serves Monticello, Idaville, Burnettsville and Yeoman · Source
- North White School Corporation — Monon Township and most of Liberty Township · Source
District lines follow townships, not mailing addresses or which side of the water you're on. Confirm the assigned school for the exact address with the district before you buy. Facts, never rankings.
Before you buy on the water
Five things I check on every lake parcel
Check 1
Flood zone
Shoreline lots can sit partly in a mapped flood zone. I pull the FEMA flood map and Indiana DNR's best-available flood layer for the exact parcel, because a flood zone can mean required flood insurance on a mortgage.
Check 2
Sewer or septic
Some lake shores are on a sewer district and some are on septic. I check which one serves the parcel, and for septic, what the county health department has on file.
Check 3
Water
Many lake homes run on a private well. I check whether city water reaches the street or the home has its own well.
Check 4
Piers, seawalls and the shoreline
Work on the shoreline (seawalls, dredging, some piers) can need an Indiana DNR permit, and some lakes have their own rules. I check what's on record before you plan changes.
Check 5
The school line
Lake shores often cross township lines, and districts follow townships. I confirm the district for the exact parcel with the school corporation.
Specific to Lake Shafer
- The sewer district serves the lake areas; City of Monticello sewer covers only land inside city limits. Confirm which serves the parcel. Source
- You can't boat between Shafer and Freeman; Norway Dam separates them. Pick the lake that fits how you boat. Source
- Check the parcel in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and Indiana DNR's Floodplain Information Portal, which adds DNR 'best available' flood mapping and can produce a free floodplain report for a point. Source
What is changing
News and projects around Lake Shafer
Before you fall for a lot
Send me the address. I'll check the school line, the utilities and the builder.
School districts in The Flatlands follow townships, not mailing addresses or town names. Send a lot number, subdivision or street and I'll reply the same day with the district, water and sewer, and what's for sale near it.
Douglas Willems · Broker · Flatland Real Estate LLC · licensed Indiana real estate brokerage
More of Lake Country
All the lakes of The Flatlands · New homes in The Flatlands
Sources
- https://hydroreform.org/hydro-project/norway-p-12514/
- https://nipsco.com/our-company/about-us/hydro-power
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Shafer
- https://monticelloin.gov/information/relocating
- https://wwdmag.com/top-projects/article/10931256/twin-lakes-low-pressure-sewer-system-project
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Township,_White_County,_Indiana
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Township,_White_County,_Indiana
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monon_Township,_White_County,_Indiana
- https://in.gov/dlgf/files/2025-reports/WHITE-2024-RATIO-STUDY.pdf
- https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
- https://secure.in.gov/dnr/water/surface-water/indiana-floodplain-mapping/indiana-floodplain-information-portal
Last checked October 2026. Drive times are estimates. Lake levels, rules and fees change; confirm with the lake's managing agency.