Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in 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 2151 articles we have published for lakes.
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Below are lakes within Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Elevation in feet |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Calamus Reservoir, NE (Nebraska, Sandhills Region, NE, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,253 ft | Located in central Nebraska, the Calamus Reservoir is a wonderful place to relax, appreciate the beauty of nature, and enjoy some fun on the water. Th… |
| Fort Peck Lake, MT (Missouri River Country, MT, Montana, US West Region, USA) |
2,246 ft | Fort Peck Lake, located 20 miles southeast of Glasgow, Montana on Montana Highway 24, is the 5th-largest man-made reservoir by volume in the United St… |
| Roosevelt Lake, AZ (Arizona, North Central Arizona, US Southwest Region, USA) |
2,217 ft | Also known as Theodore Roosevelt Lake, Lake Roosevelt With 21,500 acres at full pond and 128 miles of shoreline, Roosevelt Lake is the largest body of water contained entirely within Arizona; the larger L… |
| Cocolalla Lake (Idaho, Northern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
2,208 ft | Cocolalla Lake, located in Idaho’s Northern Region, is an example of the recreational opportunities the Panhandle has to offer. The 805-acre lake is l… |
| Sherman Reservoir (Nebraska, Sandhills Region, NE, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,162 ft | Also known as Sherman Lake Sherman Reservoir adds great recreation value to the Sandhills region of Nebraska in addition to precious irrigation water for thousands of farm acres… |
| Coeur d’Alene Lake, ID (Idaho, Northern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
2,139 ft | Also known as Lake Coeur d'Alene Nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the Northern Panhandle of Idaho, 30,000-acre Coeur d’Alene Lake (pronounced Core-de-lane) is a spec… |
| Lake Pend Oreille, ID (Idaho, Northern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
2,063 ft | Also known as Albeni Falls Dam Set in a valley carved by glaciers from Canada, Lake Pend Oreille (pond-a-RAY) is surrounded by mountains with altitudes exceeding 6,000 feet. Its 85,… |
| Fort Supply Lake, OK (Oklahoma, Red Carpet Country, OK, US Southwest Region, USA) |
2,028 ft | With 1,800 acres of clear water, Fort Supply Lake in Woodward County, Oklahoma is an outdoor enthusiast’s ideal recreational area. The lake is located… |
| Horseshoe Reservoir, AZ (Arizona, North Central Arizona, US Southwest Region, USA) |
2,026 ft | Horseshoe Reservoir, in the Arizona Central Region, is a seldom-visited surprise. Horseshoe Lake, as it is often called, was created in 1946, when a d… |
| Silver Lake Cowlitz County, WA (Southwest Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
2,000 ft | Silver Lake is a shallow 3,000-acre wetland lake located in southwest Washington. Formed by an early eruption of Mount St. Helens, which permanently d… |
| Applegate Lake, OR (Oregon, Southern Oregon, US West Region, USA) |
1,987 ft | Also known as Applegate Reservoir Reflecting the peaks of the Siskiyou Mountains, Applegate Lake is surrounded by Rogue River National Forest in southwestern Oregon’s Jackson County. L… |
| Watauga Lake, TN (East Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
1,975 ft | Also known as Lake Watauga Watauga Lake exudes independence, solitude, and nature’s bounty. If these traditional American values appeal to you, then you need to visit pristine W… |