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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cross Lake MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,235 ft | Also known as Whitefish Chain of Lakes Cross Lake is one of 14 lakes in the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, which is the largest chain in the Brained area of Minnesota. Nestled in central Minneso … |
| Alamo Lake, AZ (Arizona, US Southwest Region, USA, West Coast Region, AZ) |
1,233 ft | Alamo Lake is an outdoor person’s wonderland with great fishing, a unique Sonoran desert landscape and a plethora of desert animals. Wildlife viewing … |
| Okamanpeedan Lake, IA/MN (Iowa, Minnesota, Northwest Iowa, Southern Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,231 ft | Also known as Tuttle Lake Located in Martin County, Minnesota and Emmet County, Iowa, Okamanpeedan Lake is also known as Tuttle Lake. Okamanpeedan is Native American for “nesti … |
| Lake Mead, AZ/NV (Arizona, Las Vegas Territory, NV, Nevada, US Southwest Region, US West Region, USA, West Coast Region, AZ) |
1,229 ft | Lake Mead is the USA’s largest man-made reservoir in amount of water it can hold. Although Lake Powell is marginally larger in acreage at full-pond, L … |
| Big Sandy Lake, MN (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,225 ft | Big Sandy Lake is located in Minnesota’s northeast Aitkin County, home to over one million acres of hardwood forest and 365 lakes. With the majority o … |
| Shell Lake, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
1,222 ft | Some of Wisconsin’s best fishing is in the clean, clear water of beautiful Shell Lake. Tucked away in rural northwest Wisconsin, Shell Lake and the ci … |
| Whiskeytown Lake, CA (California, Shasta Cascade Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,220 ft | Pristine Whiskeytown Lake is located 8 miles west of Redding in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, a portion of the larger Shasta-Trinity Recre … |
| Lake Idro (Italy, Lombardy Region, Italy) |
1,214 ft | Also known as Lago d'Idro, Eridio Set against the backdrop of medieval villages, sailboats glide across the surface of 2,768-acre Lake Idro. No engines over 10HP are allowed on the bea … |
| Lewis and Clark Lake, NE/SD (Lewis and Clark Region, NE, Nebraska, South Dakota, Southeast Region, SD, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,210 ft | Stretching 25 miles long and straddling the Nebraska and South Dakota border, 28,000-acre Lewis and Clark Lake is the smallest of the Missouri River r … |
| Alder Lake (Southwest Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
1,207 ft | Also known as Alder Reservoir Vacationers planning to visit Mount Rainer need to fit beautiful Alder Lake into their plans. This reservoir in the Southwest Region of Washington off … |
| North Long Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,204 ft | Also known as Brainerd Lakes Covering almost 6,000 acres, North Long Lake is one of the largest and most popular of the Brainerd Lakes. North Long Lake is located in the Central R … |
| Cedar Lake MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,202 ft | Visitors never tire of exploring Cedar Lake, Minnesota with its many twists, turns, bays, and coves. Cedar Lake is a spring- and small stream-fed lake … |