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 Pontchartrain, LA (Greater New Orleans Region, LA, Louisiana, US South Region, USA) |
12 ft | Lake Pontchartrain technically isn’t a lake at all. In scientific circles, it’s referred to as an estuary. That’s really just a fancy way to say that … |
| Laguna Milagros (Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula Region, Mexico) |
10 ft | Also known as Lagoon of Miracles Laguna Milagros, the Lagoon of Miracles, is located on the south side of Highway 186, in the town of Huay Pix, 12 kilometers west of Chetumal, Quintan … |
| Deal Lake, NJ (New Jersey, Shore Region, NJ, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
9 ft | The largest freshwater coastal lake in New Jersey, Deal Lake is composed of a unique series of shallow ponds and channels clustered together — as opp … |
| Deer Point Lake, FL (Florida, Panhandle West Region, FL, US South Region, USA) |
8 ft | Deer Point Lake is located north of Panama City, off of US 331 and SR-77. Primarily used as a public water source, Deer Point Lake is also used for ir … |
| Lake Jesup, FL (East Central Florida, Florida, US South Region, USA) |
7 ft | At 16,000 acres, Lake Jesup is one of central Florida’s largest lakes and, indeed, one of the largest lakes in the state. Though not a swimming lake, … |
| Lake Tarpon, FL (Florida, US South Region, USA, West Central Florida) |
4 ft | Also known as Tarpon Lake, formerly Lake Butler In the West Central Region of Florida, there is no finer lake than Lake Tarpon. The 2529-acre lake, often called the ‘Jewel of Pinellas County’ is onl … |
| Bras d’Or Lake, NS (Canada, Nova Scotia, Canada) |
2 ft | Also known as Bras d'Or Lakes Bras d’Or Lake, translated as Arm of Gold, is a very large somewhat unique water body in central Cape Breton Island, part of Nova Scotia Province in C … |