Every Lake
Colonie Reservoir
Thirty-nine feet deep across 299 acres and eight miles of shoreline near Schenectady.
- 6 ft · first step
- 13 ft
- 19 ft
- 26 ft
- 32 ft
- 39 ft · bottom
About Colonie Reservoir
Colonie Reservoir sits in the town of Colonie, Albany County, part of New York's Capital Region and a short drive from Schenectady. At roughly 299 acres, it is a modest body of water compared to the region's larger lakes, but its eight miles of shoreline give it a shape more irregular than round, with coves and points that break up sightlines across the water. The reservoir sits close to suburban development, making it one of the more accessible small lakes in the Albany-Schenectady corridor.
Local anglers fish it for panfish and bass, and the surrounding shoreline draws walkers and paddlers rather than large motorboat traffic, typical of reservoirs built primarily for water storage rather than recreation. The lake's maximum depth of about 39 feet is unremarkable by regional standards, but it is enough to hold a stable cold-water layer through summer. Its position just outside Schenectady puts it within reach of Capital Region residents without the crowds that larger Adirondack or Finger Lakes destinations see on weekends.
- 29 roads engraved around the shore, 3 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.
Colonie Reservoir depth chart, in wood
This is a Colonie Reservoir depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 6 ft, 13 ft, 19 ft, 26 ft, 32 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 39 ft. The lake covers about 0.5 square miles, and 29 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 Colonie 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 Colonie 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 Colonie Reservoir.
Colonie 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 Colonie Reservoir; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Colonie 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 39 ft
- 0.5 square miles of water
- 29 shore roads engraved, 3 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
