Every Lake
San Luis Reservoir
Filled entirely by pumps, not a river — the largest off-stream reservoir in the U.S., dammed in 1967.
- 23 ft · first step
- 45 ft
- 68 ft
- 90 ft
- 113 ft
- 135 ft · bottom
About San Luis Reservoir
B.F. Sisk Dam closed off a natural basin in the Diablo Range foothills in 1967, but the water behind it did not come from a river. San Luis Reservoir fills by pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta through the California Aqueduct and O'Neill Forebay, making it the largest off-stream reservoir in the United States. It sits along Pacheco Pass Highway between Los Banos and Gilroy in Merced County, built as a joint facility for the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project.
The reservoir is known for wind, not calm water. Pacheco Pass funnels strong afternoon gusts across the open basin, drawing windsurfers and sailors even on days too rough for most boats. Anglers fish it for striped bass and largemouth bass. Water levels swing widely from year to year, since the reservoir is drawn down to supply farms and cities during dry stretches and can drop to a small fraction of capacity. The surrounding hills turn gold by early summer and stay bare through fall, typical of the inland Diablo Range rather than a forested lake country.
- 59 roads engraved around the shore, 2 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.
San Luis Reservoir depth chart, in wood
This is a San Luis Reservoir depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 23 ft, 45 ft, 68 ft, 90 ft, 113 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 135 ft. The lake covers about 19.3 square miles, and 59 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 San Luis Reservoir 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 San Luis Reservoir 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 San Luis Reservoir.
San Luis Reservoir 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 San Luis Reservoir; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. San Luis Reservoir 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 135 ft
- 19.3 square miles of water
- 59 shore roads engraved, 2 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
