Every Lake
Lake Wylie
Formed in 1904 when Duke Power dammed the Catawba River south of Charlotte
- 11 ft · first step
- 23 ft
- 34 ft
- 45 ft
- 57 ft
- 68 ft · bottom
About Lake Wylie
Lake Wylie was created in 1904 when the Catawba Power Company, a predecessor to Duke Power, completed a dam across the Catawba River to generate electricity for the growing textile mills of the Carolina Piedmont. It was one of the first reservoirs built on the river and straddles the North Carolina–South Carolina line, with York County, South Carolina on one shore and Mecklenburg and Gaston counties, North Carolina on the other. Duke Energy still operates the dam and manages the lake's water levels today.
The lake sits just southwest of Charlotte, and its shoreline runs through Rock Hill, Belmont, Clover, and the unincorporated community that shares its name, Lake Wylie. Its narrow, branching shape follows the old river channel and creek beds that were flooded, producing a long run of coves rather than open water. It draws Charlotte-area commuters who've built lake houses along its banks, along with bass anglers, marina operators, and boaters working the main channel between the dam and the upstream river narrows.
- 24 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 6,640 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.
Lake Wylie depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Wylie depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 11 ft, 23 ft, 34 ft, 45 ft, 57 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 68 ft. The lake covers about 15.8 square miles, and 6640 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 Wylie 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 Wylie 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 Wylie.
Lake Wylie 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 Wylie; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Wylie 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 68 ft
- 15.8 square miles of water
- 6640 shore roads engraved
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
