Every Lake
J. Strom Thurmond Lake
The Army Corps finished Clarks Hill Dam in 1954; Congress renamed the lake in 1988.
- 27 ft · first step
- 53 ft
- 80 ft
- 107 ft
- 134 ft
- 160 ft · bottom
About J. Strom Thurmond Lake
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Clarks Hill Dam across the Savannah River, completing the structure in 1954 and backing the river up to form the reservoir. The lake straddles the Georgia-South Carolina line, with Augusta, Georgia sitting downstream near its southern end. For its first three decades it was known locally as Clarks Hill Lake, a name still printed on some older maps and roadside signs. Congress renamed it J. Strom Thurmond Lake in 1988, after the South Carolina senator, though the dam itself kept the Clarks Hill name.
McCormick, South Carolina and Lincolnton, Georgia sit along its shoreline, along with smaller communities on both sides of the state line. The lake draws largemouth and striped bass anglers, and Corps of Engineers campgrounds and boat ramps line much of its edge. Its shoreline runs roughly 231 miles, shaped by coves and creek arms where the Savannah River's tributaries backed up behind the dam. Depths reach an estimated 160 feet near the dam, while upstream reaches stay shallow enough for boats to pass through standing timber left when the reservoir first filled.
- 24 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 1,019 roads engraved around the shore, 0 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.
J. Strom Thurmond Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a J. Strom Thurmond Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 27 ft, 53 ft, 80 ft, 107 ft, 134 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 160 ft. The lake covers about 57.5 square miles, and 1019 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 J. Strom Thurmond 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 J. Strom Thurmond 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 J. Strom Thurmond Lake.
J. Strom Thurmond 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 J. Strom Thurmond Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. J. Strom Thurmond 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 160 ft
- 57.5 square miles of water
- 1019 shore roads engraved
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
