Largest lakes & reservoirs in by acres
There is no widely-accepted minimum surface area that defines a lake. What LakeLubbers describes as a lake, you might call a pond. Acreage of a lake (or sometimes square kilometers) is most often measured at the top surface area when the lake is at normal elevation. The surface area can be considerably smaller or larger when lake levels are lower or higher than normal. North America’s Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake by this measure.The other measure of a lake’s size is the lake’s water volume. By that measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is Lake Baikal in Siberia.
You can find many of the world’s largest lakes (acres) on LakeLubbers in the comparison table below. Note: For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Acres" data is unknown or does not apply, so you may see fewer lakes than the total 2151 articles we have published for lakes.
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Below are lakes within Compared by surface area in acres. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Surface area in acres |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Villarrica, Chile (Central Chile Region, Chile) |
42,749 ac | Lake Villarrica in Chile shares its name with one of Chile’s most active volcanoes on its southern shore and a city on its western shore. All three co… |
| Flaming Gorge Reservoir, UT/WY (Dinosaurland Region, UT, Southwest Wyoming, US West Region, USA, Utah, Wyoming) |
42,020 ac | With more than 42,000 acres of boating and fishing waters, surrounded by choice camping and picnic areas, Flaming Gorge Reservoir – straddling the Wyo… |
| Richland Chambers Lake, TX (Prairies and Lakes Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
41,356 ac | Also known as Richland Chambers Reservoir Richland Chambers Lake (also called Richland Chambers Reservoir) was created between 1982 to 1987, making it the youngest lake in Texas. The Texas leg… |
| Sea of Galilee (Israel) |
40,960 ac | Also known as Lake Galilee, Lake Tiberias, Lake Kinneret The Sea of Galilee holds a special position in the history of the modern age. Also known as Lake Kinneret, this is the body of water where Jesus lived… |
| Lake Vermilion, MN (Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
40,557 ac | Known as “Lake of the Sunset Glow” by its ancient Ojibwe inhabitants, northeastern Minnesota’s sunny Lake Vermilion is a positively ideal getaway. Thi… |
| Lake Ouachita, AR (Arkansas, Ouachitas Region, AR, US South Region, USA) |
40,100 ac | Also known as Blakely Mountain Dam Reservoir Lake Ouachita is completely surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest. It’s the largest lake located entirely within the state of Arkansas. More than… |
| Lake Mattamuskeet, NC (Coast Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
40,000 ac | 40,000-acre Lake Mattamuskeet is located in North Carolina’s Coastal tourism region. Although the lake averages only 2-3 feet deep, it is one of the m… |
| Watts Bar Lake, TN (East Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
39,090 ac | Also known as Watts Bar Reservoir Midway between Knoxville and Chattanooga, Watts Bar Lake has been called “King of the Southern Great Lakes.” Watts Bar Lake is an impoundment of the T… |
| Lake Wallula, OR/WA (Eastern Oregon, Oregon, South Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
38,800 ac | Lake Wallula, a 64 mile long reservoir, is a wide open glassy lake that extends from northeastern Oregon to southeastern Washington. Lake Wallula rece… |
| Lake Lanier, GA (Georgia, Northeast Georgia Mountains Region, US South Region, USA) |
38,000 ac | Also known as Lake Sidney Lanier Lake Sidney Lanier, better known as Lake Lanier, stretches out over 38,000 acres and 692 miles of shoreline along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Moun… |
| Lake Seminole, FL/GA (Florida, Georgia, Panhandle West Region, FL, Plantation Trace Region, GA, US South Region, USA) |
37,500 ac | Lake Seminole divides its 37,500 watery acres between Georgia and Florida. The lake is conveniently located about 40 miles northwest of Tallahassee, F… |
| Strangford Lough (Down Region, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Region, United Kingdom, United Kingdom) |
37,066 ac | Also known as Strangford Lake, Loch Cuan, Strangford Strangford Lough (Lake) is a 37,066-acre inland, tidal, salt water lake off the east coast of County Down in Northern Ireland. Separated from the Iris… |