Every Lake
Lake Aleknagik
A finger lake modeled at 839 feet deep, feeding Bristol Bay's sockeye run past Dillingham.
- 140 ft · first step
- 280 ft
- 419 ft
- 559 ft
- 699 ft
- 839 ft · bottom
About Lake Aleknagik
Lake Aleknagik sits at the downstream end of the Wood River Lakes chain in southwest Alaska, its water draining north into the Wood River and then Nushagak Bay. The lake was carved by glaciers moving through the coastal range, leaving a long, branching basin that runs deep relative to its width. Modeled bathymetry puts its maximum depth near 839 feet, unusual for a lake of its acreage. The Wood River Lakes system reaches upstream into Wood-Tikchik State Park, and Aleknagik marks the gateway lake at the park's edge.
The Yup'ik village of Aleknagik sits on both banks near the lake's outlet, reachable from Dillingham by a roughly 25-mile road, the only road connecting Dillingham to another community. The lake and its outlet river lie inside the Nushagak district of the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, and sockeye returning from the Bering Sea pass through it each summer on their way to spawning grounds upstream. Commercial and subsistence fishing shape the local economy, and float planes remain a common way to reach camps and lodges scattered along the shoreline.
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Lake Aleknagik depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Aleknagik depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 140 ft, 280 ft, 419 ft, 559 ft, 699 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 839 ft. The lake covers about 81.8 square miles. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Lake Aleknagik map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Lake Aleknagik for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Lake Aleknagik.
Lake Aleknagik map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Lake Aleknagik; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Aleknagik is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 839 ft
- 81.8 square miles of water
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
