Largest lakes & reservoirs in 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 2151 articles we have published for lakes.
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Below are lakes within Compared by surface area in acres. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Surface area in acres |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Big Birch Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,112 ac | Big Birch Lake lies at the heart of Minnesota. With sparkling water spread across Todd and Stearns County lines, Big Birch Lake is at the geographic c … |
| Portage Lake (Manistee County), MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,110 ac | Portage Lake is a fantastic stop for Lake Michigan travelers. The lake is connected to Lake Michigan by a channel. Boating and sailing visitors often … |
| Cecil M. Harden Lake, IN (Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA, West Indiana) |
2,110 ac | Also known as Raccoon Lake Located in west central Indiana, the Cecil M. Harden Lake is a naturalist’s delight and lies largely in Parke County and extends into Putnam County. R … |
| Occoquan Reservoir, VA (Northern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
2,100 ac | Also known as Occoquan River Reservoir or Lake Occoquan In the dialect of the Native American Dogue tribe, “occoquan” means “at the end of the water.” The Dogue tribe occupied Northern Virginia up until the … |
| Lake Taneycomo, MO (Missouri, Southwest Missouri, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,080 ac | Boasting the best trout fishing in the nation, Lake Taneycomo is an irresistible lure for anglers. Add all the amenities and recreation opportunities … |
| Delavan Lake, WI (Southern Savanna Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
2,072 ac | One of the more popular of Wisconsin lakes is Delavan Lake in the Southern Savanna region. Delavan Lake has had a glorious history: the lake was a fav … |
| Farm Island Lake (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,054 ac | With over 2000 acres of water hidden behind an unassuming name, Farm Island Lake is sheer Central Minnesota delight. The lake is named for the largest … |
| Balsam Lake, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
2,054 ac | Polk County in Northwest Wisconsin is described as a “Gift of the Glaciers.” The phrase certainly applies to Balsam Lake and the town that bears its n … |
| Lake Waubesa, WI (Southern Savanna Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
2,050 ac | Also known as Yahara Chain of Lakes Dane County in south central Wisconsin has plenty of water for recreation. There are 37 lakes and 475 miles of streams and rivers including 14 miles o … |
| Sand Lake ON (Canada, Ontario, Canada) |
2,046 ac | Also known as Davis Lake, Rideau Lakes Sand Lake is one of the best-known lakes along the Rideau Waterway in Eastern Ontario. Sand Lake is the location of idyllic Birch Island and home to m … |
| Horsetooth Reservoir, CO (Colorado, Front Range Region, CO, US West Region, USA) |
2,040 ac | Also known as Horsetooth Lake On the high, arid ridges and plains of Colorado’s Front Range, Horsetooth Reservoir delights the visitor and refreshes the senses. Developed as a stor … |
| Bluestone Lake, WV (New River-Greenbrier Valley Region, WV, US South Region, USA, West Virginia) |
2,040 ac | Amidst the beautiful scenery of southern West Virginia lies the long, narrow Bluestone Lake. This reservoir, the third largest lake in West Virginia, … |