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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tuttle Creek Lake, KS (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,138 ft | Also known as Tuttle Creek Reservoir When construction of Tuttle Creek Dam began in 1952, the premise was that Tuttle Creek Lake would be a “dry dam” passing water on through to the river … |
| Eau Claire Lakes, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
1,132 ft | Also known as Upper Eau Claire Lake, Middle Eau Claire Lake, Lower Eau Claire Lake Among Wisconsin’s more than 15,000 lakes is the Eau Claire Lakes Chain, made up of three larger lakes and eight spring-fed smaller ponds. The Chain in … |
| Beaver Lake, AR (Arkansas, Ozarks Region, AR, US South Region, USA) |
1,130 ft | Majestic limestone bluffs, hidden natural caves, and beautiful crystal clear water combine to make Beaver Lake an outdoor enthusiast’s playground. Add … |
| 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 DuBay, WI (Central Sands Prairie Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
1,125 ft | Also known as DuBay Flowage Located in central Wisconsin near Stevens Point, Lake DuBay is a great place to boat, fish and explore. Lake DuBay straddles Portage and Marathon Coun … |
| Cowanesque Lake, PA (Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Wilds Region, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
1,114 ft | Peacefully nestled between forested ridges in north central Pennsylvania lies Cowanesque Lake. Located near the New York state line, the name Cowanesq … |
| Rainy Lake, MN / Canada (Canada, Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, Ontario, Canada, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,109 ft | Rainy Lake’s sprawling 221,000 acres straddle the border of the United States and Canada. Known as a water sports lover’s paradise, Rainy Lake is loca … |
| Lake Chelan, WA (North Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
1,100 ft | From the Salish Indian word for “deep notch”, Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the United States with a maximum depth of almost 1500 feet. Lak … |
| West Hawk Lake (Canada, Manitoba, Canada) |
1,092 ft | Also known as The Meteor Lake Occupying a prominent position on the southern Manitoba/Ontario border, West Hawk Lake is a favored destination within Whiteshell Provincial Park. The … |
| Lake Lanier, GA (Georgia, Northeast Georgia Mountains Region, US South Region, USA) |
1,085 ft | Also known as Lake Sidney Lanier Lake Sidney Lanier, better known as Lake Lanier, stretches out over 38,000 acres and 692 miles of shoreline along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Moun … |
| Medina Lake, TX (Hill Country Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
1,084 ft | Also known as Lake Medina Located in Texas Hill Country, Medina Lake is 40 miles northwest of San Antonio in Bandera and Medina Counties. Controlled by the Bexar-Medina-Atascos … |
| Stonewall Jackson Lake, WV (Mountain Lakes Region, WV, US South Region, USA, West Virginia) |
1,082 ft | Stonewall Jackson Lake, a young West Virginia lake that only finished completion in 1990, was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide flo … |