Every Lake
Milford Lake
Kansas's largest lake, built on the Republican River, finished in 1967.
- 19 ft · first step
- 38 ft
- 57 ft
- 76 ft
- 96 ft
- 115 ft · bottom
About Milford Lake
Milford Lake was formed when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Republican River near Junction City, Kansas, with construction on Milford Dam finishing in 1967. The project was built primarily for flood control on the Kansas and Missouri River systems, along with water supply and recreation. At roughly 16,279 acres, it is the largest lake entirely within the state of Kansas, with about 72 miles of shoreline winding through the surrounding prairie hills.
The lake sits between Junction City and Manhattan, home to Fort Riley and Kansas State University, so soldiers and students make up a steady share of the boats on the water. Anglers come for stocked striped bass and walleye, both maintained through the state fish hatchery on the lake's south end. Steady Kansas wind across the open reservoir has also made it a regional draw for sailing and windsurfing, and the adjoining nature center anchors a smaller crowd of hikers and birders.
- 8 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 615 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.
Milford Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Milford Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 19 ft, 38 ft, 57 ft, 76 ft, 96 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 115 ft. The lake covers about 26.7 square miles, and 615 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 Milford 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 Milford 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 Milford Lake.
Milford 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 Milford Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Milford 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 115 ft
- 26.7 square miles of water
- 615 shore roads engraved, 18 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
