Every Lake
Upper Straits Lake
A 326-acre lake linked by channel to Orchard Lake, part of Oakland County's chain of lakes.
- 4 ft · first step
- 9 ft
- 13 ft
- 17 ft
- 21 ft
- 26 ft · bottom
About Upper Straits Lake
Upper Straits Lake sits in West Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan, part of a chain of interconnected lakes carved by glaciers that retreated from the region roughly 14,000 years ago. A narrow channel links it to Orchard Lake to the east, and boaters can travel between the two without leaving the water. The lake covers about 326 acres and sits roughly ten miles northwest of Pontiac, within a mostly residential shoreline of single-family homes and private docks.
The lake's maximum depth is modeled at about 26 feet, shallow enough that weed growth is a recurring concern for the lake board that oversees water quality. Its shoreline runs close to five miles, much of it lined with docks rather than public access points, with boat launches limited to a handful of private and association-controlled sites. Fishing pressure centers on bass and panfish. The channel connection to the broader chain of lakes makes Upper Straits part of a boating circuit favored by residents who keep pontoon and ski boats moored through the summer.
- 102 roads engraved around the shore, 11 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.
Upper Straits Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Upper Straits Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 4 ft, 9 ft, 13 ft, 17 ft, 21 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 26 ft. The lake covers about 0.6 square miles, and 102 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 Upper Straits 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 Upper Straits 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 Upper Straits Lake.
Upper Straits 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 Upper Straits Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Upper Straits 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 26 ft
- 0.6 square miles of water
- 102 shore roads engraved, 11 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
