Every Lake
Shepaug Reservoir
A hydroelectric dam on the Shepaug River draws wintering bald eagles to Southbury each year.
- 7 ft · first step
- 14 ft
- 21 ft
- 27 ft
- 34 ft
- 41 ft · bottom
About Shepaug Reservoir
Connecticut Light and Power dammed the Shepaug River in the 1950s to build a hydroelectric station near Southbury, backing up water into a narrow reservoir that follows the old river channel. The dam sits near the boundary of Southbury and Roxbury, hill towns west of Waterbury where the Shepaug and Housatonic watersheds meet. Unlike a natural lake, the reservoir's shape traces the river valley it flooded, giving it long fingers rather than a round basin, and its water level is managed for power generation rather than recreation.
Each winter the utility that operates the dam opens an observation area for bald eagles, which gather below the spillway to fish in open water while the rest of the river ices over. The sightings draw birdwatchers from around the state between December and March, making the reservoir better known for eagles than for boating or fishing. At about 82 acres with roughly 3 miles of shoreline, it is small next to Connecticut's larger reservoirs, and its narrow, river-shaped basin keeps most of the water within sight of the dam.
- 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.
Shepaug Reservoir depth chart, in wood
This is a Shepaug Reservoir depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 7 ft, 14 ft, 21 ft, 27 ft, 34 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 41 ft. The lake covers about 0.1 square miles. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Shepaug 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 Shepaug 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 Shepaug Reservoir.
Shepaug 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 Shepaug Reservoir; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Shepaug 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 41 ft
- 0.1 square miles of water
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
