Every Lake
Madison Lake
A chain lake connected to Lake Washington by channel, ten miles of shoreline south of Mankato.
- 11 ft · first step
- 22 ft
- 33 ft
- 44 ft
- 55 ft
- 66 ft · bottom
About Madison Lake
Madison Lake sits in Le Sueur County, about twelve miles northeast of Mankato, on the edge of the Minnesota River valley. Like most lakes in this part of the state, its basin formed as glacial ice retreated at the end of the last ice age, leaving behind a shallow depression that filled with meltwater and runoff. A narrow channel connects it to Lake Washington to the north, part of a small chain of lakes that lets boats move between basins. The city of Madison Lake grew up along its southern shore, incorporated as a lake town rather than a farming crossroads.
The lake covers about 1,221 acres and reaches a maximum depth near 66 feet, deep enough to hold walleye, northern pike, and panfish through the summer months when shallower lakes in the chain warm faster. Its shoreline runs roughly ten miles, mixing year-round homes with older cabin lots passed down through families from Mankato and the surrounding townships. Fishing tournaments and ice-fishing contests draw visitors from across southern Minnesota each winter. The public access sits near the city park, where the channel to Lake Washington begins.
- 2 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 80 roads engraved around the shore, 16 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.
Madison Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Madison Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 11 ft, 22 ft, 33 ft, 44 ft, 55 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 66 ft. The lake covers about 2.0 square miles, and 80 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 Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison Lake.
Madison 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 Madison Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Madison 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 66 ft
- 2.0 square miles of water
- 80 shore roads engraved, 16 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
