Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in 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 2151 articles we have published for lakes.
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Below are lakes within Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Elevation in feet |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Battle Lake (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,335 ft | Also known as East Battle Lake, West Battle Lake Connected by Battle Creek, West Battle Lake and East Battle Lake sprawl across over 7,500 acres of central Minnesota in Ottertail County. With more th … |
| Siseebakwet Lake (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,330 ft | Also known as Sugar Sitting atop a brightly-colored towel and looking across Siseebakwet Lake’s crystalline, vividly blue waters might bring up images of the Caribbean or … |
| Lake Osakis, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,326 ft | Also known as Osakis Lake Lake Osakis, stretched across the prairie in the Central Region of Minnesota, has been a vacation destination for several generations of ‘lake lubbers … |
| Woman Lake Chain (Minnesota, Northwest Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,325 ft | Also known as Child Lake, Girl Lake, Little Woman Lake, Woman Lake, Squaw Lake The Woman Lake Chain in northwest Minnesota includes four lakes and covers 5,502 acres. Sprawling across Cass County slightly south of the Chippewa Na … |
| Bowstring Lake (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,322 ft | Be it fishing, wakeboarding, canoeing or just simply wildlife watching, Bowstring Lake fulfills its visitors every vacation need. Set in Itasca County … |
| Lake Chippewa, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
1,313 ft | Also known as Chippewa Flowage, Hayward Lakes Tucked away in Sawyer County in northwest Wisconsin, Lake Chippewa is a rare undeveloped paradise. Called the “Big Chip,” Lake Chippewa is one of Wisc … |
| Branched Oak Lake, NE (Metro Region, NE, Nebraska, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,311 ft | Also known as Dam Site #18 Branched Oak Lake, part of the Branched Oak State Recreation Area, is conveniently located northwest of Lincoln, Nebraska’s state capital. Branched Oa … |
| Chautauqua Lake, NY (Chautauqua-Allegheny Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
1,310 ft | Also known as Lake Chautauqua Chautauqua Lake, located in idyllic Western New York state, has been a destination for vacationers for more than a century. At 1,308 feet above sea le … |
| Deer Lake, MN (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,309 ft | Also known as Lake of Changing Colors Often called the “Lake of Changing Colors,” Deer Lake is a jewel in Minnesota’s northwoods country. Located northwest of Grand Rapids in south-central … |
| Wollaston Lake, SK (Canada, Saskatchewan, Canada) |
1,306 ft | Wilderness adventures draw people to Wollaston Lake in northeastern Saskatchewan. Sparsely populated, Wollaston Lake is home to copious amounts of wil … |
| Cass Lake, MN (Minnesota, Northwest Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,304 ft | Cass Lake is, without a doubt, one of Minnesota’s natural treasures. Its scenic beauty is only surpassed by its rich history, unique features and the … |
| Lake Winnibigoshish, MN (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, Northwest Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,300 ft | Also known as Lake Winnie Lake Winnibigoshish is a legend among Minnesota lakes. The lake’s impressive size, covering more than 58,500 acres, reaches into both the Northwest an … |