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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Lake, KY/TN (Kentucky, Tennessee, US South Region, USA, West Tennessee, Western Waterlands Region, KY) |
370 ft | Kentucky Lake is the largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi when measured by surface acres at “full pond,” the normal water level: 184 miles lo … |
| Lake Palestine, TX (Piney Woods Region, TX, Prairies and Lakes Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
364 ft | Just 10 miles from Tyler, Texas (the Rose Capital of World) is Lake Palestine, a water playground dedicated to recreation, water conservation, and wil … |
| Loch Tay (Central Scotland, Perthshire Region, Scotland, Scotland, United Kingdom, United Kingdom) |
363 ft | Loch Tay is a long and narrow natural lake in the central Scottish Highlands that extends southwest to northeast in the country’s Central and Perthshi … |
| Round Valley Reservoir, NJ (New Jersey, Skylands Region, NJ, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
361 ft | Round Valley Reservoir spans 2,350 acres in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The reservoir fills the valley formed by the ring-shaped Cushetunk Mountain, … |
| Lake Murray, OK (Arbuckle Country, OK, Oklahoma, US Southwest Region, USA) |
360 ft | Lake Murray, in southcentral Oklahoma’s Arbuckle Country, is a 5,728-acre reservoir completely surrounded by the pristine beauty of Lake Murray State … |
| Lake Oliver, AL/GA (Alabama, Georgia, Presidential Pathways Region, GA, River Heritage Region, AL, US South Region, USA) |
337 ft | Located in west central Georgia in the Presidential Pathways region, Lake Oliver is a 2,150-acre lake that has one shoreline in Georgia and the other … |
| Cottonwood Lake, AK (Alaska, Southcentral Region, AK, US West Region, USA) |
329 ft | Cottonwood Lake, located near the town of Wasilla in the Mat-Su Valley of Alaska, is a year-round destination. The Mat-Su Valley region, short for Mat … |
| Lac Saint-Jean, QC (Canada, Quebec, Canada) |
327 ft | Also known as Lake Saint-John, Piekouagami Follow Quebec’s Saguenay River to Lake Saint John and you will follow a path carved by time and the impressive power of nature. The two waterways are … |
| Sebec Lake, ME (Maine, Maine Highlands Region, ME, US New England Region, USA) |
325 ft | Also known as Lake Sebec Located in central Maine’s Piscataquis River Valley, Sebec Lake is surrounded by a land of recreational opportunity. Whether you come to relax in New … |
| Cedar Creek Lake, TX (Prairies and Lakes Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
323 ft | Also known as Cedar Creek Reservoir Cedar Creek Lake (also known as Cedar Creek Reservoir) is located an hour southeast of Dallas in the Prairie and Lakes region of Texas. Created in 196 … |
| Kerr Lake, NC/VA (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, Southern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
320 ft | Also known as Kerr Reservoir, John H Kerr Reservoir, Buggs Island Lake, Buggs Island Reservoir The 48,900-acre John H. Kerr Reservoir straddles the Virginia-North Carolina border. This impoundment of the Roanoke and Dan Rivers, completed by the … |
| Richland Chambers Lake, TX (Prairies and Lakes Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
317 ft | Also known as Richland Chambers Reservoir Richland Chambers Lake (also called Richland Chambers Reservoir) was created between 1982 to 1987, making it the youngest lake in Texas. The Texas leg … |