Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in British Columbia, Canada by altitude
While lake levels can flucuate frequently based on several circumstances, the altitude/elevation of a lake is based on its normal water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level. For a reservoir, this water level is also known as “full pond” or “full pool”.Low lake levels can occur due to deliberate seasonal draw downs for irrigation or impending snow melt, reduced water inflows, drought and evaporation, residential or commercial water demands, and hydropower generation. Some lakes’ minimum and maximum elevations are virtually the same. Lakes that generate hydropower may vary by several feet – according to power demand. Lakes whose primary purpose is to prevent flooding can seasonally vary by 100 feet or more. When some lakes reach their minimum elevation, their boat ramps may not be long enough to permit boat access – and boats docked on shallow parts of the lake may end up on dry ground. In those cases, kayakers and shore-based anglers may be among the few happy recreational users of the lake.
A lake’s highest water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level, that can occur during flooding. A lake’s highest possible maximum elevation is usually the top of the lake’s dam or spillway. At lakes that include residential development, government regulations usually forbid the construction of homes below a lake’s maximum elevation.
You can find many of the world’s highest-elevated lakes on LakeLubbers. Lakes with the lowest elevations (known by LakeLubbers) are shown on the final page of that list. Note: For some lakes, "Altitude/Elevation" data is unknown, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 45 articles we have published for British Columbia, Canada lakes.
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Below are lakes within Canada > British Columbia, Canada > Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in British Columbia, Canada, only the 45 British Columbia, Canada lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Elevation in feet | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Okanagan Lake, BC (British Columbia, Canada, Canada) |
1,125 ft | Also known as Lake Okanagan Okanagan Lake, located in British Columbia’s Napa of the North Country, is a vacationer’s paradise. Its sheer size and convenient location make this w … |
Lake Osoyoos, WA / Canada (British Columbia, Canada, Canada, North Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
913 ft | Also known as Osoyoos Lake Lake Osoyoos spans more than 5,700 acres and straddles the border of British Columbia, Canada and Washington state in the United States. The Okanagan … |
Alouette Lake (British Columbia, Canada, Canada) |
423 ft | Also known as Alouette Reservoir, Lillooet Lake (historic) Only an hour away from big-city Vancouver, Alouette Lake provides a wilderness experience and a mountain view of beautiful Golden Ears Provincial Park … |
Stave Lake and Hayward Lake (British Columbia, Canada, Canada) |
269 ft | Also known as Stave Reservoir, Hayward Reservoir Stave Lake and Hayward Lake are reservoirs located about an hour east of Vancouver in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. Managed by BC Hydro, these lak … |