Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in New York 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 72 articles we have published for New York lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Mid-Atlantic Region > New York > Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in New York, only the 72 New York lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Elevation in feet |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton Chain of Lakes, NY (Adirondacks Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
1,791 ft | Also known as Fulton Lakes, Fulton Chain The Fulton Chain of Lakes is a string of eight sparkling lakes located in the scenic Central Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. The chain begin… |
| Indian Lake, NY (Adirondacks Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
1,651 ft | Surrounded by the grandeur of the Adirondack Mountains, Indian Lake, in northern New York’s Adirondack Vacation region, is a 4,365-acre lake well know… |
| Allegheny Reservoir, NY/PA (Chautauqua-Allegheny Region, NY, New York, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Wilds Region, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
1,365 ft | Also known as Kinzua Dam Lake, Kinzua Lake, Lake Kinzua Flowing across tree-covered hills in northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York, the Allegheny Reservoir’s 12,080 acres provide an open invit… |
| Chautauqua Lake, NY (Chautauqua-Allegheny Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
1,310 ft | Also known as Lake Chautauqua Chautauqua Lake, located in idyllic Western New York state, has been a destination for vacationers for more than a century. At 1,308 feet above sea le… |
| Swinging Bridge Lake, NY (Catskills Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
1,070 ft | Also known as Swinging Bridge Reservoir Swinging Bridge Lake is a Catskills lake located in southern Sullivan County, New York and was formed by the damming of the Mongaup River in 1926 for… |
| Skaneateles Lake, NY (Finger Lakes Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
863 ft | Skaneateles Lake, pronounced “skany-atlas” or “skinny-atlas,” is one of New York’s famous Finger Lakes. Its name means “long lake” in one of the local… |
| Great Sacandaga Lake, NY (Adirondacks Region, NY, Capital-Saratoga Region, NY, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
771 ft | Also known as Great Sacanadaga Reservoir Great Sacandaga Lake, located in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, is a reservoir built to control flooding on the Hudson River and the Sacandaga… |
| Lake Tappan, NJ/NY (Gateway Region, NJ, Hudson Valley Region, NY, New Jersey, New York, US Mid-Atlantic Region, USA) |
55 ft | Also known as Tappan Lake, Lake Tappan Reservoir, Tappan Reservoir Lake Tappan is one of a series of reservoirs that was created to deliver drinking water to the huge population of the New York City metro area. The la… |