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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Granbury, TX (Prairies and Lakes Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
694 ft | One of only three lakes that dam the Brazos River, Lake Granbury was created in 1969 to provide storage capacity for flood and storm waters for munici … |
| Cecil M. Harden Lake, IN (Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA, West Indiana) |
690 ft | Also known as Raccoon Lake Located in west central Indiana, the Cecil M. Harden Lake is a naturalist’s delight and lies largely in Parke County and extends into Putnam County. R … |
| Center Hill Lake, TN (Middle Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
685 ft | Also known as Center Hill Reservoir Center Hill Lake is almost completely surrounded by the beautiful hardwood forested hills of the Tennessee Eastern Highlands. Center Hill Lake has 18, … |
| Lake Pepin, MN/WI (Minnesota, Mississippi-Chippewa Rivers Region, WI, Southern Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
675 ft | Lake Pepin is the largest lake on the Mississippi River, formed about 9,500 years ago by the backup of water behind sediments where the Chippewa River … |
| Lake Te Anau, New Zealand (Fiordland Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
669 ft | Lake Te Anau, located in the southwestern corner of South Island in New Zealand, is situated with rolling hillside country on the eastern side and mag … |
| Tenkiller Lake, OK (Green Country, OK, Oklahoma, US Southwest Region, USA) |
667 ft | Also known as Lake Tenkiller, Tenkiller Ferry Lake Tenkiller Lake is an amazing place filled with fascinating history and natural beauty in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. There’s tons of fun to … |
| Hartwell Lake, GA/SC (Georgia, Northeast Georgia Mountains Region, South Carolina, The Upcountry, SC, US South Region, USA) |
666 ft | Also known as Lake Hartwell So large it covers parts of six counties in two states, Lake Hartwell draws millions of visitors a year to play on its 56,000 acres of water. With ple … |
| Lake Noquebay, WI (Lake Michigan Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
665 ft | Lake Noquebay spans more than 2,400 acres in northeastern Wisconsin. Located in Marinette County, Lake Noquebay is part of Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan R … |
| Oologah Lake, OK (Green Country, OK, Oklahoma, US Southwest Region, USA) |
661 ft | Also known as Oolagah Reservoir Located in the northeast corner of Oklahoma, in the Green Country region, Oolagah Lake hides a wealth of surprises for the visitor. Located just a hal … |
| Dale Hollow Lake, KY/TN (Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Southern Lakes Region, KY, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
659 ft | Also known as Dale Hollow Reservoir Dale Hollow Lake, straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee border, is an artificial lake that was formed by damming the Obey and Cumberland Rivers. As with m … |
| Lake Mohave, AZ/NV (Arizona, Las Vegas Territory, NV, Nevada, US Southwest Region, US West Region, USA, West Coast Region, AZ) |
655 ft | Lake Mohave is a man-made reservoir on the Colorado River that spans 28,260 acres. It is a part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and was cre … |
| Yatesville Lake (Appalachians Region, KY, Kentucky, US South Region, USA) |
645 ft | Also known as Yatesville Lake State Park The newest star in the Kentucky Appalachians region is Yatesville Lake. Very young as lakes go, Yatesville Lake was created in 1991 when the US Army C … |