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 Tappan, NJ/NY (Gateway Region, NJ, Hudson Valley Region, NY, New Jersey, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
55 ft | Also known as Tappan Lake, Lake Tappan Reservoir, Tappan Reservoir Lake Tappan is one of a series of reservoirs that was created to deliver drinking water to the huge population of the New York City metro area. The la … |
| Lake Tohopekaliga, FL (East Central Florida, Florida, US South Region, USA) |
55 ft | Also known as Lake Toho Lake Tohopekaliga is world renowned for its bass fishing and loved for its natural beauty. It is located in Osceola County, Florida, at the headwaters … |
| Lake Kissimmee, FL (East Central Florida, Florida, US South Region, USA, West Central Florida) |
53 ft | Lake Kissimmee’s massive 34,948 acre area earns the lake a spot as Florida’s third largest lake, finishing just behind Lake George and Lake Okeechobee … |
| Cypress Lake, FL (East Central Florida, Florida, US South Region, USA) |
53 ft | Also known as Lake Cypress Cypress Lake, a 4097 acre expanse in Osceola County, is a prime vacation destination in central Florida.One of the lakes on the Kissimmee Waterway, Bo … |
| Lake Hatchineha, FL (East Central Florida, Florida, US South Region, USA) |
53 ft | Lake Hatchineha, a 6,665-acre expanse in Osceola County, welcomes both tourists and residents to its beautiful central Florida shores. Lake Hatchineha … |
| Sheldon Lake, TX (Gulf Coast Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
50 ft | Also known as Lake Sheldon, Sheldon Resevoir Sheldon Lake is conveniently located just 16 miles east of Houston in northeastern Harris County. This 1,230-acre reservoir covers about 800 acres of … |
| Black River Lake and Cocodrie Lake (Crossroads Region, LA, Louisiana, US South Region, USA) |
44 ft | Also known as Cocodrie Lake Complex The Cocodrie Lake Complex, consisting of Black River Lake and Cocodrie Lake, is one of those places that could only exist in the delta lands of the mi … |
| Lake Istokpoga, FL (Florida, South Florida, US South Region, USA) |
42 ft | Lake Istokpoga, located in Highlands County, is Florida’s fifth largest lake and stretches out over 27,692 Florida acres. With a maximum length of 10 … |
| Lake Ozette, WA (Olympic Peninsula & Pacific Coast Region, WA, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
42 ft | Also known as Ozette Lake Nestled in dense forest just a few miles from the Pacific Coast, Lake Ozette sits snuggled into Washington’s Olympic Peninsula tourism region, on the … |
| Morse Reservoir, IN (Central Indiana, Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
42 ft | Also known as Morse Lake Located in central Indiana, Morse Reservoir awaits visitors and those looking to relocate to the good life. The lake is just a short drive from Indian … |
| Lake Okeechobee, FL (Florida, South Florida, US South Region, USA) |
19 ft | With over 451,000 blue, watery acres, Lake Okeechobee is a lake with many titles. It is, by surface acreage, the largest lake in Florida. It also hold … |
| Loch Shiel (Highlands & Moray Region, Scotland, Scotland, United Kingdom, United Kingdom) |
16 ft | Also known as Loch Seile Surrounded by one of the few remaining areas of true wilderness in Scotland, the picturesque scenery around Scotland’s Loch Shiel has been featured in … |