Largest lakes & reservoirs in by water volume
The estimated volume of water that a lake contains is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. By this measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is Siberia’s Lake Baikal.Water Volume can be measured in acre-feet, in cubic miles, or in cubic kilometers. One acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre (43,560 square feet) to a depth of one foot. One cubic mile equals 3,379,200 acre-feet. One cubic kilometer equals 810,713 acre-feet. 1 acre-foot is equal to 325,851 US gallons. Siberia’s Lake Baikal contains about 6,276,367,740,000,000 gallons of freshwater – nearly 1 million gallons for every living person on earth.
The other – and more widely used – measure of a lake’s size is the lake’s surface acreage. By that measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is North America’s Lake Superior.
Note: In the United States, an acre foot is a unit of volume used to refer to large-scale bodies of water. It is defined by the volume of water needed to cover 1 acre of surface area to a depth of 1 foot.
You can find many of the the world’s largest lakes (by water volume) on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, the water volume 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 water volume. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Water vol. in ac-ft |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver Lake, AR (Arkansas, Ozarks Region, AR, US South Region, USA) |
1,200,000 ac-ft | Majestic limestone bluffs, hidden natural caves, and beautiful crystal clear water combine to make Beaver Lake an outdoor enthusiast’s playground. Add … |
| Flathead Lake, MT (Glacier Country, MT, Montana, US West Region, USA) |
1,200,000 ac-ft | Carved out by the historic glaciers of the last ice age approximately 11,000 years ago, Flathead Lake is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes i … |
| Lake Jocassee, NC/SC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, South Carolina, The Upcountry, SC, US South Region, USA) |
1,185,000 ac-ft | Nestled into the pristine Appalachian mountains of northwestern South Carolina and southwestern North Carolina, Lake Jocassee reaches its watery depth … |
| Harry S. Truman Lake, MO (Central Missouri, Missouri, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,181,640 ac-ft | (Also known as Harry S. Truman Reservoir, Truman Lake) It looks a like a reel of film perched on a bluff; it is the visitor center overlooking Truman Lake. The round wall of windows offers a panoramic view … |
| Clear Lake, CA (California, North Coast Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,155,000 ac-ft | Clear Lake’s spectacular 43,785 acres earn it the superlative of largest natural freshwater lake located entirely within the state of California. This … |
| Lake Almanor, CA (California, Shasta Cascade Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
1,142,960 ac-ft | One of the largest artificial lakes in the state, Lake Almanor lays claim to approximately 28,000 acres of northeastern California. The lake was creat … |
| Smith Mountain Lake, VA (Blue Ridge Highlands, VA, Central Virginia, Southern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
1,140,000 ac-ft | (Also known as Jewel of the Blue Ridge) With emerald green shores, sapphire blue skies, topaz blue waters, and soaring surrounding mountains, it’s clear why Smith Mountain Lake is nicknamed … |
| Richland Chambers Lake, TX (Prairies and Lakes Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
1,136,600 ac-ft | (Also known as Richland Chambers Reservoir) Richland Chambers Lake (also called Richland Chambers Reservoir) was created between 1982 to 1987, making it the youngest lake in Texas. The Texas leg … |
| Lake Travis, TX (Hill Country Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
1,131,650 ac-ft | Lake Travis is a beautiful 18,930 acre reservoir in the Hill Country of central Texas, about 12 miles northwest of Austin. It is over 63 miles long wi … |
| Lake Muskoka, ON (Canada, Ontario, Canada) |
1,124,459 ac-ft | (Also known as Muskoka Lake, Muskoka Lakes Region) Lake Muskoka, located in Ontario’s Muskoka Lakes Region, is one of Canada’s most famous lakes. Actually a chain of lakes, Muskoka joins Lake Joseph an … |
| Strawberry Reservoir, UT (Mountainland Region, UT, US West Region, USA, Utah) |
1,106,500 ac-ft | (Also known as The Berry) Strawberry Reservoir, known locally as The Berry, is Utah’s most popular fishing spot. Located in Wasatch County, a convenient 65 miles east of the Wa … |
| Lake Okeechobee, FL (Florida, South Florida, US South Region, USA) |
1,100,000 ac-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 … |