Every Lake
Cheney Reservoir
Dammed in 1965 to supply Wichita's drinking water, its 32 miles of shoreline now belong to sailors.
- 13 ft · first step
- 27 ft
- 40 ft
- 54 ft
- 67 ft
- 81 ft · bottom
About Cheney Reservoir
Cheney Reservoir was formed by an earthen dam across the North Fork Ninnescah River, with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation completing construction and beginning to fill the lake in 1965. The project's main purpose was municipal water supply, piping water to Wichita, along with flood control on the Ninnescah watershed. The reservoir takes its name from the nearby town of Cheney, Kansas, and sits within reach of Hutchinson to the west. Cheney State Park was established on its shore soon after the dam's completion.
The lake covers roughly 9,700 acres with about 32 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth near 81 feet. Steady wind across the open water has made it a hub for sailboat racing, with regattas held on the lake for decades. Anglers fish for walleye, white bass, and crappie from the shoreline and boat ramps. The surrounding land is flat cropland and pasture, and the towns of Cheney and Hutchinson supply most of the boaters and anglers who use it on weekends.
- 119 roads engraved around the shore, 18 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.
Cheney Reservoir depth chart, in wood
This is a Cheney Reservoir depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 13 ft, 27 ft, 40 ft, 54 ft, 67 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 81 ft. The lake covers about 15.5 square miles, and 119 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 Cheney 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 Cheney 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 Cheney Reservoir.
Cheney 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 Cheney Reservoir; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Cheney 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 81 ft
- 15.5 square miles of water
- 119 shore roads engraved, 18 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
