Largest lakes & reservoirs in Washington 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 58 articles we have published for Washington lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US West Region > Washington > Compared by surface area in acres. This list does not represent all lakes in Washington, only the 58 Washington lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Surface area in acres | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Moses Lake, WA (North Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
6,800 ac | Located where Washington State’s Pacific coast transforms into the arid desert of the eastern half, Moses Lake has over 6,800 acres of surface area en … |
Kachess Lake, WA (North Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
6,535 ac | “Kachess” means “more fish,” a name that aptly describes Lake Kachess in North Central region of Washington. The lake is full of fish, and anglers can … |
Lake Osoyoos, WA / Canada (British Columbia, Canada, Canada, North Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
5,729 ac | Also known as Osoyoos Lake Lake Osoyoos spans more than 5,700 acres and straddles the border of British Columbia, Canada and Washington state in the United States. The Okanagan … |
Lake Crescent, WA (Olympic Peninsula & Pacific Coast Region, WA, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
5,127 ac | Also known as Crescent Lake Lake Crescent is a majestic glacial lake located at the northern tip of the Olympic National Forest in Clallam County, Washington. Glaciers during the … |
Lake Spokane, WA (Northeast Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
5,020 ac | Also known as Long Lake Lake Spokane, a 24 mile long reservoir, is so named because of its close proximity to Spokane, Washington. However, some people call it Long Lake, aft … |
Whatcom Lake, WA (Northwest Washington & Islands, WA, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
5,003 ac | Also known as Lake Whatcom Whatcom Lake is a 5,000-acre natural lake surrounded by mountainous terrain located in Whatcom County, Washington. Whatcom is from a Nooksack Indian w … |
Lake Sammamish, WA (Seattle & Puget Sound Region, WA, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
4,897 ac | At just under 5,000 acres, Lake Sammamish is one of the major recreational lakes in the state. The lake provides activities for fishermen, boaters, je … |
Cle Elum Lake, WA (North Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
4,812 ac | Also known as Lake Cle Elum Providing much needed water to the dry, fertile soil of north-central Washington, Cle Elum Lake is the largest of four irrigation storage reservoirs i … |
Lake Cushman, WA (Olympic Peninsula & Pacific Coast Region, WA, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
4,010 ac | Nestled in the foothills of the majestic Olympic Mountains, Lake Cushman is known for its clear, blue water and alpine beauty. With 23 miles of shorel … |
Lake Quinault, WA (Olympic Peninsula & Pacific Coast Region, WA, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
3,729 ac | Also known as Quinault Lake Located in northwest Washington’s Olympic Peninsula tourism region, Lake Quinault is a clear, deep lake lying just west of the Olympic Mountains. Twel … |
Alder Lake (Southwest Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
3,065 ac | Also known as Alder Reservoir Vacationers planning to visit Mount Rainer need to fit beautiful Alder Lake into their plans. This reservoir in the Southwest Region of Washington off … |
Silver Lake Cowlitz County, WA (Southwest Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
3,000 ac | Silver Lake is a shallow 3,000-acre wetland lake located in southwest Washington. Formed by an early eruption of Mount St. Helens, which permanently d … |