Every Lake
Lake Thunderbird
Dedicated October 1, 1965, when the Norman Dam backed up the Little River east of town.
- 17 ft · first step
- 34 ft
- 51 ft
- 68 ft
- 85 ft
- 101 ft · bottom
About Lake Thunderbird
The reservoir was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to supply drinking water to Norman, Midwest City, and Del City as Oklahoma City's suburbs filled with new homes and university dormitories through the early 1960s. Construction on the earthfill dam began in 1962, and the lake was dedicated October 1, 1965, after nearly 3,000 Oklahomans submitted names for what engineers had been calling the Little River Reservoir. A Mrs. Louie L. McKenzie of Oklahoma City won with a name drawn from the regional legend of a giant bird spirit said to summon storms.
The surrounding land became Lake Thunderbird State Park, and the lake itself sits mostly within Cleveland County, its shoreline shared by anglers working for largemouth bass and crappie, sailors, and water-skiers out of Norman on weekends. Its basin is shallow and wide rather than deep and steep-sided, so wind across the open water can raise chop quickly, a trait regulars watch for more than depth. The University of Oklahoma, a few miles west in Norman, sends a steady stream of students and staff out to its marinas and swim beach.
- 2 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 312 roads engraved around the shore, 17 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 Thunderbird depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Thunderbird depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 17 ft, 34 ft, 51 ft, 68 ft, 85 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 101 ft. The lake covers about 8.4 square miles, and 312 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 Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird.
Lake Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Thunderbird 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 101 ft
- 8.4 square miles of water
- 312 shore roads engraved, 17 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
