Lake Maps
There are a variety of map types designed specifically for lakes, with lake survey maps and lake charts being the most commonly used. Lake survey maps provide valuable information on general lake conditions and depths. You can see the general bottom topography and determine the approximate depth at any given place. These maps also often show where parking is available, the location of boat launches, and information such as total water area, maximum and mean depth, etc. A bathymetric map is the most detailed kind of lake map and is one of the few maps that depicts the configuration of the lake bottom.
- Lake Names
- Which Lakes are Mapped?
- Acquiring Lake Maps for Recreational Activities
- Bathymetric Maps
- Lake Water Clarity Maps
- More Information
Lake Names
To determine if a particular lake has been mapped, you need its name. The USGS produces 7.5-minute quadrangle maps that show the location of all lakes in the state, including those that are less than one acre in size. These maps are available for purchase from the Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey and other map dealers, and have all been scanned to produce DRGs which can be viewed online.
The names on USGS maps are the official names registered in the federal government's Geographical Names Information System (GNIS). GNIS lists all kinds of geographic names, their classification (e.g., lakes, parks, schools), the county they're in and their latitude/longitude coordinates.
Which Lakes are Mapped?
Just because a lake is shown on a topographic map does not mean that the lake has an official name. Wisconsin has approximately 15,000 lakes that range in size from ponds to Lake Winnebago. The majority of the unnamed lakes are less than 10 acres in area. To find out if such small lakes are mapped, determine the county in which the lake is located. Next, find its PLSS location---for example, Sawyer County, T38N, R6W, S 4-15.
Then, consult the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's (DNR's) booklet called Wisconsin Lakes which contains information for each named lake and also unnamed lakes of more than 20 acres in Wisconsin. The lakes are categorized by county, and include information about lake type, surface area, maximum and mean depth, and fishing potential. You will also see a column that shows whether the lake has been mapped or surveyed. Also see the DNR's web page devoted to Wisconsin's lakes. The page contains helpful pdfs which provide "information on the physical attributes of lakes such as the size, depth, type of public access, availability of lake maps, the relative abundance of fish species, exotic plants and animals and information about fish consumption advisories."
Acquiring Lake Maps for Recreational Activities
If you're looking for a map of a particular lake, the first place to look is with the map dealers listed either in the DNR booklet or on their web site. In addition, sporting goods retailers may carry some of the these products for the local area. We also list a couple of companies below that may offer the lake or fishing map you're looking for.
Clarkson Map Company has hunting, fishing, navigational, travel, and business maps, and their lake coverage is particularly extensive. Clarkson also sells Wisconsin county maps and USGS quadrangle maps.
Fishing Hot Spots has a series of books which detail lakes and rivers by geographic boundaries. The company also has lake contour maps marked with fishing spots for the more popular lakes or chains of lakes. Fishing Hot Spots provides a catalog of directories and maps along with detailed reports on many Wisconsin lakes.
Visit Lake-Link.com for an indepth look at lakes located throughout the Mid-West. Also provides prime fishing times, and links to hunting, boating, fishing and camping resources.
Mapping Specialists' have begun to release a new series of maps at a rate of about 25 per year, their goal is to have 100 lake maps published by 2005. The early maps in the series will cover the larger and better known fishing lakes in Wisconsin. These maps include information about: lake bed materials, boat landings, and a latitude/longitude tick system.
For something a little different, visit 3DLAKEMAP, producers of wooden "3D" maps for a wide range of lakes in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, plus a few other places around the U.S. These unique maps show the lake depths in series of stacked contours, color-coded with shades of blue.
The SCO also maintains a list of USGS topographic map retailers in the state. Not all retail outlets have complete coverage of the state, and prices for maps may vary from one retailer to the next.
Bathymetric Maps
Bathymetric maps are the underwater equivalent of a detailed topographic map. They provide a great deal more detail than standard lake maps. Unfortunately, there are only a few available for Wisconsin. The USGS did produce bathymetric maps in the vicinity of Sturgeon Bay in Door County. To order, visit USGS's online maps list.
Great Lakes bathymetric maps are available from a couple of different sources. The best place to begin searching is the website of the National Geophysical Data Center (DGDC), a service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Lake Water Clarity Maps
With the help of many volunteers, University of Wisconsin - Madison researchers from the Environmental Remote Sensing Center have developed a method and resulting map that evaluates the lake water clarity from space. Satellite remote sensing is the technology that powers this research.
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