Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in Central Minnesota by altitude
While lake levels can flucuate frequently based on several circumstances, the altitude/elevation of a lake is based on its normal water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level. For a reservoir, this water level is also known as “full pond” or “full pool”.Low lake levels can occur due to deliberate seasonal draw downs for irrigation or impending snow melt, reduced water inflows, drought and evaporation, residential or commercial water demands, and hydropower generation. Some lakes’ minimum and maximum elevations are virtually the same. Lakes that generate hydropower may vary by several feet – according to power demand. Lakes whose primary purpose is to prevent flooding can seasonally vary by 100 feet or more. When some lakes reach their minimum elevation, their boat ramps may not be long enough to permit boat access – and boats docked on shallow parts of the lake may end up on dry ground. In those cases, kayakers and shore-based anglers may be among the few happy recreational users of the lake.
A lake’s highest water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level, that can occur during flooding. A lake’s highest possible maximum elevation is usually the top of the lake’s dam or spillway. At lakes that include residential development, government regulations usually forbid the construction of homes below a lake’s maximum elevation.
You can find many of the world’s highest-elevated lakes on LakeLubbers. Lakes with the lowest elevations (known by LakeLubbers) are shown on the final page of that list. Note: For some lakes, "Altitude/Elevation" data is unknown, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 44 articles we have published for Central Minnesota lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Minnesota > Central Minnesota > Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in Central Minnesota, only the 44 Central Minnesota lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Elevation in feet |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Smith Lake (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,351 ft | Nestled quietly between Lake Osakis and the City of Alexandria, Smith Lake in Minnesota’s Central Region faces little tourist pressure. Not well known… |
| Battle Lake (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,335 ft | Also known as East Battle Lake, West Battle Lake Connected by Battle Creek, West Battle Lake and East Battle Lake sprawl across over 7,500 acres of central Minnesota in Ottertail County. With more th… |
| Lake Osakis, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,326 ft | Also known as Osakis Lake Lake Osakis, stretched across the prairie in the Central Region of Minnesota, has been a vacation destination for several generations of ‘lake lubbers… |
| Whitefish Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,254 ft | Also known as Upper Whitefish Lake and Lower Whitefish Lake, Whitefish Chain of Lakes The natural beauty of Whitefish Lake will leave visitors spellbound and ready to leave the cares of the world behind. Nestled in the Central Region of… |
| Whitefish Chain of Lakes (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,235 ft | 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… |
| Cross Lake MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,235 ft | Also known as Whitefish Chain of Lakes Cross Lake is one of 14 lakes in the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, which is the largest chain in the Brained area of Minnesota. Nestled in central Minneso… |
| North Long Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,204 ft | Also known as Brainerd Lakes Covering almost 6,000 acres, North Long Lake is one of the largest and most popular of the Brainerd Lakes. North Long Lake is located in the Central R… |
| Cedar Lake MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,202 ft | Visitors never tire of exploring Cedar Lake, Minnesota with its many twists, turns, bays, and coves. Cedar Lake is a spring- and small stream-fed lake… |
| Norway Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,199 ft | Norway Lake is nestled in Kandiyohi County on the southern border of Minnesota’s Central tourism region. It is part of the Wilmar Lakes Area which inc… |
| South Long Lake (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,196 ft | Also known as Upper South Long Lake, Lower South Long Lake, Brainerd Lakes South Long Lake near Brainerd, Minnesota in Crow Wing County offers 2,115 acres of scenic beauty with a shoreline surrounded by rolling hills covered… |
| Gull Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,195 ft | Also known as Brainerd Lakes Gull Lake, located in the Central Region of Minnesota’s “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, boasts 9,418 surface acres and 38 miles of pristine shoreline. The dee… |
| Big Birch Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,186 ft | 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… |