Every Lake
Lake Independence
Six miles of shoreline, 68 feet down, twenty-five miles west of Minneapolis.
- 11 ft · first step
- 23 ft
- 34 ft
- 45 ft
- 57 ft
- 68 ft · bottom
About Lake Independence
Lake Independence sits in Hennepin County, Minnesota, within Independence Township, about twenty-five miles west of downtown Minneapolis. Like most lakes in this part of the state, its basin was carved by glacial ice sheets that retreated roughly 10,000 years ago, leaving behind the irregular, kettle-and-moraine terrain typical of the Des Moines lobe. The lake covers about 766 acres and has roughly six miles of shoreline, giving it an elongated, uneven outline rather than a simple round or oval basin.
The lake reaches a modeled maximum depth of about 68 feet, deep enough to stratify in summer and support a cold-water zone below the warmer surface layers. It sits within a mostly residential and semi-rural stretch of western Hennepin County, near the small city of Independence and the town of Maple Plain, an area that shifted from farmland to lake-home development through the second half of the twentieth century. Boat access and shoreline homes now line much of its perimeter, and it draws anglers and recreational boaters from across the western Twin Cities suburbs.
- 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 Independence depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Independence depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 11 ft, 23 ft, 34 ft, 45 ft, 57 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 68 ft. The lake covers about 1.2 square miles. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Lake Independence 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 Independence 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 Independence.
Lake Independence 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 Independence; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Independence 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 68 ft
- 1.2 square miles of water
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
