Every Lake
Oradell Reservoir
A dammed stretch of the Hackensack River, closed to boats, watched year-round by birders.
- 6 ft · first step
- 12 ft
- 19 ft
- 25 ft
- 31 ft
- 37 ft · bottom
About Oradell Reservoir
The Hackensack Water Company dammed the Hackensack River in the early 1900s to build a public water supply for Bergen County. The reservoir follows the river's original course for several miles through Oradell, River Edge, Emerson, and Haworth, giving it a long, narrow shape instead of a single round basin. It remains an active drinking water source, which is why boating, swimming, and fishing are not allowed on it. Kinderkamack Road runs along part of the dam, giving passersby one of the few close views of the water.
Because the reservoir is closed to recreational boats, it has become known instead as a birdwatching spot. The Bergen County Audubon Society runs walks along the dam and causeway, where observers look for wintering waterfowl, gulls, and occasionally bald eagles that follow the open water when other ponds freeze over. The surrounding towns are largely residential, with dog walkers, joggers, and birders sharing the same stretch of road along the water. There is no public boat launch or marina, and the shoreline is mostly fenced or wooded, keeping direct access limited to a handful of points.
- 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.
Oradell Reservoir depth chart, in wood
This is a Oradell Reservoir depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 6 ft, 12 ft, 19 ft, 25 ft, 31 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 37 ft. The lake covers about 0.9 square miles. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Oradell Reservoir 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 Oradell Reservoir 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 Oradell Reservoir.
Oradell Reservoir 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 Oradell Reservoir; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Oradell Reservoir 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 37 ft
- 0.9 square miles of water
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
