Every Lake
Turlock Lake
State Route 132 dead-ends at the dam that made it, near Modesto.
- 11 ft · first step
- 21 ft
- 32 ft
- 43 ft
- 53 ft
- 64 ft · bottom
About Turlock Lake
Turlock Lake sits in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Stanislaus County, formed by La Grange Dam and Wells Dam on the Tuolumne River, which back up water for irrigation storage and delivery through the Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts. The surrounding land was opened as a state recreation area, drawing visitors from Modesto and the Central Valley farm towns to its north and west. The lake's water level tracks the irrigation season, running fullest in spring and early summer and dropping through late summer as water is released downstream to Central Valley farmland.
The lake covers roughly 3 square miles at a bend in the Tuolumne River canyon, with oak-covered hills rising along much of its shoreline. It draws a mix of Central Valley families on summer weekends, anglers working the water for bass and trout, and boaters using the ramps near the day-use areas. Its narrow, canyon-bound shape follows the old river channel more closely than a typical reservoir, giving it long fingers of shoreline rather than open water. Campgrounds along the north shore keep the park busy through the warmer months.
- 3 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.
Turlock Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Turlock Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 11 ft, 21 ft, 32 ft, 43 ft, 53 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 64 ft. The lake covers about 3.2 square miles, and 3 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 Turlock Lake 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 Turlock Lake 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 Turlock Lake.
Turlock Lake 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 Turlock Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Turlock Lake 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 64 ft
- 3.2 square miles of water
- 3 shore roads engraved, 2 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
