Every Lake
Walter E Long Lake
Named for the city manager who dammed Decker Creek to cool Austin's power plant.
- 10 ft · first step
- 20 ft
- 31 ft
- 41 ft
- 51 ft
- 61 ft · bottom
About Walter E Long Lake
Walter E. Long Lake lies east of downtown Austin, Texas, formed when the city dammed Decker Creek to create a cooling-water reservoir for its Decker Creek Power Station. It carries the name of Walter E. Long, an Austin city manager in the 1920s and 1930s who championed the dams and water projects that shaped the city's early growth. The lake covers about 981 acres with roughly 11 miles of shoreline, and its water stays warmer than most area lakes because of the power plant's discharge cycle.
The surrounding shoreline is largely public land, part of Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park, one of Austin's largest parks. Anglers use the lake for largemouth bass fishing, drawn partly by the warmer water that keeps fish active through winter; local tournaments launch from the park's boat ramps. Swimming is discouraged because of the plant's cooling function, so use centers on fishing, paddling, and picnicking rather than beaches. The lake sits in far eastern Travis County, nearer the airport and industrial corridor than the Colorado River lakes downtown.
- 61 roads engraved around the shore, 7 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.
Walter E Long Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Walter E Long Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 10 ft, 20 ft, 31 ft, 41 ft, 51 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 61 ft. The lake covers about 1.6 square miles, and 61 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 Walter E Long 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 Walter E Long 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 Walter E Long Lake.
Walter E Long 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 Walter E Long Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Walter E Long 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 61 ft
- 1.6 square miles of water
- 61 shore roads engraved, 7 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
