Every Lake
Lake Parker
Manatees gather each winter at the power-plant outflow on its north shore, Lakeland, Florida.
- 7 ft · first step
- 14 ft
- 21 ft
- 28 ft
- 35 ft
- 42 ft · bottom
About Lake Parker
Lake Parker sits on the northeast side of Lakeland, in Polk County, Florida, part of a state where nearly every town rings at least one lake. The shoreline runs about ten miles, bordered by Purcell Park and a public boat ramp on the north side. Anglers fish it for largemouth bass and crappie, and Polk County bass clubs hold tournaments on the water through the cooler months. Lakeland Electric's C.D. McIntosh Jr. Power Plant sits on the lake's southeast shore, drawing cooling water from the lake and returning it warmer downstream.
Each winter, when coastal waters cool, manatees move inland through the Peace River watershed and gather near the power plant's warm-water discharge on Lake Parker, one of the few reliable inland manatee viewing spots in central Florida. The lake lies in Polk County's phosphate belt, an area strip-mined for phosphate rock through much of the 20th century, and its modeled depth of about 42 feet is notable for a Florida lake, most of which run shallow. At roughly 1,964 acres, it ranks among Polk County's larger lakes.
- 360 roads engraved around the shore, 14 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 Parker depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Parker depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 7 ft, 14 ft, 21 ft, 28 ft, 35 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 42 ft. The lake covers about 3.2 square miles, and 360 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 Parker 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 Parker 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 Parker.
Lake Parker 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 Parker; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Parker 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 42 ft
- 3.2 square miles of water
- 360 shore roads engraved, 14 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
