Hey TopH20,
I am taking some classes in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS basically is a computer system that matches data with its location in space. We are using ArcView software with an extension called 3D analysis. This software could be used to make a 3D map of your lake bottom. It is expensive, guessing around $3000 for the software.
What you would have to do is take depth measurements at regularly spaced locations throughout the lake and use GPS to get the location of each depth measurement. Then, you would plug this data into the GIS software and a 3D image would be rendered. The software would interpolate the depths between the measurement locations to come up with the contours.
The only problem is that unless you have the software, the only thing you could view is print-outs. If you have the software, you can look at the contours from different angles right on the screen.
I am just now learning about this, so I am not prepared to take something like this on just yet. But, maybe in a few weeks, you could send me depths/locations and I could try to send you some printouts from various views. If you can't get a GPS unit and your pond is small, maybe you could mark a square around your pond and measure distances from edge of square to edge of pond and then distances to each depth measurement location. That way the general shape of the pond would be accurately represented. You could also include the locations of any other pond features like structures, docks, etc.
