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 |
|---|---|---|
| Waubay Chain of Lakes (Glacial Lakes & Prairies Region, SD, South Dakota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
15,540 ac | Also known as North Waubay Lake, South Waubay Lake, Hillebrands Lake, Spring Lake, Rush Lake, Bluedog Lake, Little Rush Lake, Minnewasta Lake Waubay Chain of Lakes, in the Glacial Lakes & Prairies Region of northeast South Dakota, is a stunning example of nature’s triumph over human settleme… |
| Lake Red Rock, IA (Iowa, South Central Iowa, US Midwest Region, USA) |
15,520 ac | Also known as Red Rock Lake, Red Rock Reservoir Lake Red Rock is a reservoir in south-central Iowa created by the Army Corps of Engineers. This Marion County lake was constructed over the course of… |
| Wilson Lake, AL (Alabama, Mountains Region, AL, US South Region, USA) |
15,500 ac | Also known as Wilson Reservoir Once known as the “Smallmouth Capital of the World,” outdoor enthusiasts enjoy Wilson Lake for its fishing, boating, hiking, and exploring the natural… |
| Lake Oroville, CA (California, Shasta Cascade Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
15,500 ac | Also known as Oroville Reservoir Lake Oroville, snuggled into the Sierra Nevada Foothills about 75 miles north of Sacramento, is one of northern California’s favorite playgrounds. Boa… |
| Lake Tekapo, New Zealand (Christchurch - Canterbury Region, South Island, NZ, New Zealand, South Island, NZ) |
15,360 ac | Lake Tekapo is located in the center of South Island, New Zealand. Known for its intense turquoise hue, the lake stays that color because of “rock flo… |
| Lake Sinclair, GA (Classic South Region, GA, Georgia, Historic Heartland Region, GA, US South Region, USA) |
15,330 ac | Also known as Sinclair Lake With 15,330 acres of sparkling water against the backdrop of the Oconee National Forest, Lake Sinclair in Georgia is an outdoor enthusiast’s premier d… |
| Lake Chippewa, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
15,300 ac | Also known as Chippewa Flowage, Hayward Lakes Tucked away in Sawyer County in northwest Wisconsin, Lake Chippewa is a rare undeveloped paradise. Called the “Big Chip,” Lake Chippewa is one of Wisc… |
| Lake Iseo (Italy, Lombardy Region, Italy) |
15,271 ac | Also known as Lago d'Iseo A ferry glides across 15,271-acre Lake Iseo to arrive at the dock on Monte Isola. Passengers with packages and bicycles climb off the ferry; curiously… |
| Logan Martin Lake, AL (Alabama, Metropolitan Region, AL, US South Region, USA) |
15,263 ac | Also known as Lake Logan Martin Logan Martin Lake, located about 30 miles east of Birmingham in east central Alabama, is a 15,263-acre reservoir popular for boating, fishing, and oth… |
| Bayou D’Arbonne Lake (Louisiana, Sportsman's Paradise Region, LA, US South Region, USA) |
15,250 ac | Also known as Lake D'Arbonne Bayou D’Arbonne Lake covers 15,250 acres in northern Louisiana’s Sportsman’s Paradise tourism region, near the Arkansas and Mississippi borders. Fed m… |
| High Rock Lake, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
15,180 ac | The northernmost of the Uwharrie Lakes, High Rock Lake enjoys its spot as North Carolina’s second largest reservoir entirely within the state: its wat… |
| Hells Canyon Reservoirs (Eastern Oregon, Idaho, Oregon, Southwestern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
15,000 ac | Also known as Brownlee Reservoir, Oxbow Reservoir, Hells Canyon Reservoir The three Hells Canyon Reservoirs are one of southwest Idaho’s most scenic locations. Idaho can’t claim this national treasure alone, however as it sh… |