Every Lake
Lake Tappan
A Hackensack River reservoir behind a dam most people have never noticed.
- 6 ft · first step
- 12 ft
- 18 ft
- 23 ft
- 29 ft
- 35 ft · bottom
About Lake Tappan
Lake Tappan is a reservoir on the Hackensack River, formed when a dam impounded the river to supply drinking water to communities in northern New Jersey and southern New York. The lake straddles the state line between Bergen County, New Jersey, and Rockland County, New York. It covers roughly 882 acres and holds about nine miles of shoreline. Because it functions as a public water supply, the lake has long been managed by a water utility rather than a municipal parks department, which has kept development along its banks limited compared to other lakes in the region.
Public access to Lake Tappan has historically been restricted because of its role as a drinking-water source, with swimming and unrestricted boating prohibited. Fishing has been permitted at times under a permit system, drawing local anglers to the shoreline rather than boaters or swimmers. The surrounding shore is largely wooded and marshy, attracting herons, egrets, and other wading birds, which has made the lake a known stop for birdwatchers in the area. Towns bordering the lake, including Old Tappan, Norwood, and Harrington Park in New Jersey, sit close enough that residents can see the water from nearby streets, even though direct access remains limited.
- 172 roads engraved around the shore, 5 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.
Lake Tappan depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Tappan depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 6 ft, 12 ft, 18 ft, 23 ft, 29 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 35 ft. The lake covers about 1.4 square miles, and 172 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 Lake Tappan 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 Tappan 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 Tappan.
Lake Tappan 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 Tappan; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Tappan 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 35 ft
- 1.4 square miles of water
- 172 shore roads engraved, 5 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
