Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in Indiana 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 38 articles we have published for Indiana lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Indiana > Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in Indiana, only the 38 Indiana lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Elevation in feet |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Lake James, IN (Indiana, North Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
968 ft | Roughly 10,000 years ago the same receding glaciers that filled the Great Lakes created kettle holes in Northeast Indiana that resulted in a chain of… |
| Hamilton Lake, IN (Indiana, North Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
900 ft | Located in Northeast Indiana’s beautiful Steuben County, Hamilton Lake is the fourth largest lake in the state. In 1832, several small lakes were damm… |
| Webster Lake, IN (Indiana, North Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
855 ft | Also known as Boydston Lake For visitors of the Northern Tourism Region of the beautiful state of Indiana, Webster Lake is a wonderful stopover to enjoy the scenery, incredible f… |
| Barbee Lakes, IN (Indiana, North Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
840 ft | Also known as Big Barbee Lake, Little Barbee Lake, Kuhn Lake, Irish Lake, Sawmill Lake, Sechrist Lake, Banning Lake Seven interconnected, natural lakes comprise the Barbee Lakes chain in northeastern Indiana’s Kosciusko County: Big Barbee Lake, Little Barbee Lake, K… |
| Tippecanoe Lake, IN (Indiana, North Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
839 ft | Also known as Lake Tippecanoe Located in northern Indiana, Tippecanoe Lake is the deepest lake in the state. It is part of the Barbee Lakes chain which is made up of seven intercon… |
| J. Edward Roush Lake, IN (East Indiana, Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
798 ft | Also known as Huntington Lake J. Edward Roush Lake is one of three Upper Wabash Valley lakes and is situated in Huntington and Wells counties. The northeastern Indiana shoreline is… |
| Salamonie Lake, IN (East Indiana, Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
793 ft | Also known as Salamonie Reservoir Salamonie Lake is a large, unspoiled reservoir spanning the border of both Huntington and Wabash Counties in north central Indiana. The lake is part o… |
| Mississinewa Lake, IN (East Indiana, Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
779 ft | Also known as Mississinewa Reservoir Visitors to north central Indiana will find myriad recreational activities, surrounded by unspoiled, scenic beauty at Mississinewa Lake. This 3,180-ac… |
| Brookville Lake, IN (Indiana, South Central Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
775 ft | Also known as Brookville Reservoir Nestled in the heart of the Whitewater River Valley, Brookville Lake is a gorgeous body of water providing water storage and many fine recreational ac… |
| Cagles Mill Lake, IN (Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA, West Indiana) |
704 ft | Also known as Cagles Mill Reservoir, Cataract Lake Cagles Mill Lake, also known as Cagles Mill Reservoir and Cataract Lake, is located half in Lieber State Recreation Area and half in Cataract Falls St… |
| Cecil M. Harden Lake, IN (Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA, West Indiana) |
690 ft | 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… |
| Hardy Lake, IN (Indiana, South Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
605 ft | Also known as Quick Creek Reservoir Hardy Lake is located in south eastern Indian known as the southern plains and lowlands region. Wetlands, ponds, mudflats, deciduous woodlands and gra… |