Largest lakes & reservoirs in Southwest Michigan by acres
There is no widely-accepted minimum surface area that defines a lake. What LakeLubbers describes as a lake, you might call a pond. Acreage of a lake (or sometimes square kilometers) is most often measured at the top surface area when the lake is at normal elevation. The surface area can be considerably smaller or larger when lake levels are lower or higher than normal. North America’s Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake by this measure.The other measure of a lake’s size is the lake’s water volume. By that measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is Lake Baikal in Siberia.
You can find many of the world’s largest lakes (acres) on LakeLubbers in the comparison table below. Note: For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Acres" data is unknown or does not apply, so you may see fewer lakes than the total 18 articles we have published for Southwest Michigan lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Michigan > Southwest Michigan > Compared by surface area in acres. This list does not represent all lakes in Southwest Michigan, only the 18 Southwest Michigan lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Surface area in acres |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Michigan-Huron (Canada, Chicagoland Region, IL, Great Lakes of North America, Illinois, Indiana, Lake Michigan Region, WI, Michigan, North Indiana, Northeast Michigan, Northwest Michigan, Ontario, Canada, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA, Upper Peninsula Region, MI, West Central Michigan, Wisconsin) |
29,062,400 ac | Lake Michigan and Lake Huron – two of North America’s Great Lakes – are contiguous and they share the same elevation of 577 feet above sea level. They … |
| Lake Michigan (Chicagoland Region, IL, Great Lakes of North America, Illinois, Indiana, Lake Michigan Region, WI, Michigan, North Indiana, Northwest Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA, Upper Peninsula Region, MI, West Central Michigan, Wisconsin) |
14,336,000 ac | As the only Great Lake nestled completely within the boundaries of the United States, Lake Michigan is the pride and joy of Wisconsin, Illinois, India … |
| Gun Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,680 ac | Beautiful Gun Lake, located off US 131 north of Kalamazoo, Michigan, has been a vacation and boating destination for well over a hundred years. Origin … |
| Gull Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,030 ac | Gull Lake is a picturesque 2,030-acre natural lake in southwestern Michigan. The lake most likely got its name from the large number of seagulls that … |
| Lake Macatawa, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,780 ac | Also known as Black Lake The Ottawa tribe of Native Americans called Lake Macatawa “Ma-Ca-Ta-Wa” or Black Lake. The water, like many lakes in northern states, was dark from ta … |
| Coldwater Lake MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,610 ac | Coldwater Lake, in quiet Southwest Michigan, is the epitome of the traditional Michigan lake vacation destination. Nestled just north of the Indiana s … |
| Austin Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,090 ac | Sitting on a frozen lake, clutching a thermos of hot chocolate in mitten-clad hands, and hovering over a hole in the ice is not everyone’s idea of fis … |
| Diamond Lake MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,020 ac | For those who dream of living on a private island, Diamond Lake in southwest Michigan can turn dreams into reality. Diamond Lake, with Diamond Island … |
| Paw Paw Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
891 ac | Paw Paw Lake. Just the name invokes lazy, hot summer days in a secluded country setting. Situated in Southwest Michigan, 891-acre Paw Paw Lake is a co … |
| Klinger Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
822 ac | Klinger Lake in Saint Joseph County has been a top recreation and fishing spot in western lower Michigan for well over 150 years. Located less than th … |
| Pine Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
660 ac | Located in rural Barry County, Michigan, Pine Lake is actually four lakes connected by small navigable channels. With Kalamazoo a short 30-mile drive … |
| Corey Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
630 ac | Corey Lake is a natural 630-acre lake in southwestern Michigan near the community of Three Rivers. Most of Corey Lake is located in St. Joseph County … |
