Every Lake
Lake Sonoma
Formed in 1983 when the Army Corps dammed Dry Creek, 36 miles of shoreline north of Santa Rosa.
- 8 ft · first step
- 15 ft
- 23 ft
- 31 ft
- 39 ft
- 47 ft · bottom
About Lake Sonoma
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Warm Springs Dam across Dry Creek, a tributary of the Russian River, finishing construction in 1983. The project was authorized primarily for flood control, with water supply and recreation as secondary purposes. Backing up behind the dam, the reservoir filled the steep, oak-covered canyons of northern Sonoma County, eventually covering roughly 2,172 acres with about 36 miles of shoreline. It sits in the hills north of Santa Rosa, near the towns of Geyserville and Healdsburg.
Below the dam, the Corps operates a fish hatchery that raises steelhead trout and coho salmon for release into Dry Creek and the Russian River system. The lake itself draws boaters, water-skiers, and anglers, along with campers who reach sites only by boat or trail. Houseboat and fishing-boat rentals operate from a marina near the dam, and hiking and horse trails wind through the surrounding public land. Much of the shoreline stays undeveloped, and the lake sits within a few miles of the vineyards of Dry Creek Valley, so weekend traffic mixes wine-country visitors with local boaters.
- 109 roads engraved around the shore, 0 of them labeled
- 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 Sonoma depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Sonoma depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 8 ft, 15 ft, 23 ft, 31 ft, 39 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 47 ft. The lake covers about 3.7 square miles, and 109 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Lake Sonoma 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 Sonoma 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 Sonoma.
Lake Sonoma 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 Sonoma; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Sonoma 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 47 ft
- 3.7 square miles of water
- 109 shore roads engraved
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
