Largest lakes & reservoirs in US Midwest Region by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 516 articles we have published for US Midwest Region lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in US Midwest Region, only the 516 US Midwest Region lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Shoreline length in miles | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Rathbun Lake, IA (Iowa, South Central Iowa, US Midwest Region, USA) |
155 mi | Also known as Lake Rathbun One of the largest lakes in the state of Iowa, Rathbun Lake is located in Appanoose County and is a perfect place to enjoy water sports, fishing, and … |
Lake Winnibigoshish, MN (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, Northwest Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
141 mi | Also known as Lake Winnie Lake Winnibigoshish is a legend among Minnesota lakes. The lake’s impressive size, covering more than 58,500 acres, reaches into both the Northwest an … |
Clinton Lake, IL (Central Illinois, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
130 mi | Also known as Clinton Reservoir Travel to central Illinois and you’ll find Clinton Lake, a 4,900 acre lake just 3 miles east of Clinton. Though the lake was originally built as a coo … |
Lake Saint Clair, MI / Canada (Canada, Michigan, Ontario, Canada, Southeast Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
127 mi | Also known as Lake St. Clair Heart-shaped Lake Saint Clair is the smallest body of water in the Great Lakes system. Tucked between Lake Huron to the north and Lake Erie to the sou … |
Whitefish Chain of Lakes (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
119 mi | Also known as Pine River Reservoir Whitefish Chain of Lakes, also known as the Pine River Reservoir, is one of six Mississippi River Headwater Reservoirs in central Minnesota. Located i … |
Pomme de Terre Lake (Central Missouri, Missouri, US Midwest Region, USA) |
113 mi | Also known as Pomme De Terre Reservoir One of Missouri’s lesser-known recreational destinations is Pomme De Terre Lake. Construction of this reservoir was completed in 1961, although it had … |
Lake Minnetonka, MN (Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Region, MN, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
110 mi | Lake Minnetonka’s 14,000 acres contain many bays and coves, resembling a collection of smaller lakes. “Minnetonka” comes from the Sioux language meani … |
Melvern Lake (Kansas, Southeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
101 mi | Also known as Melvern Resevoir Melvern Lake is the perfect spot in dry southeast Kansas to enjoy a week at the lake. Built in 1972 as a flood control reservoir, Melvern Lake now off … |
Cut Foot Sioux Lakes (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
100 mi | Also known as Big Cut Foot Sioux Lake, Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake Few people have heard of the Northeast Minnesota destination of Cut Foot Sioux Lakes. Connected to neighboring Lake Winnibigoshish, the Cut Foot Sioux … |
Tuttle Creek Lake, KS (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
100 mi | Also known as Tuttle Creek Reservoir When construction of Tuttle Creek Dam began in 1952, the premise was that Tuttle Creek Lake would be a “dry dam” passing water on through to the river … |
Wilson Lake, KS (Kansas, North Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
100 mi | Also known as Wilson Reservoir Nicknamed the “Clearest Lake in Kansas”, Wilson Lake is located in the heart of the Smoky Hills of central Kansas. This reservoir is an unexpected jew … |
Glen Elder Reservoir, KS (Kansas, North Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
100 mi | Also known as Waconda Lake Glen Elder Reservoir, also known as Waconda Lake, is one of the most scenic and popular outdoor attractions in Kansas. Located in north central Kansas … |