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 Poygan, WI (Central Sands Prairie Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
14,102 ac | Also known as Poygan Lake The heron wades slowly through the reeds at the edge of the lake, stalking his prey. On the other side of the reeds, the man in the boat is doing exac… |
| Lac d’Hourtins-Carcans (Aquitaine Region, Southwestern France, France, Southwestern France Region) |
14,085 ac | Also known as Lake Hourtins, Lac Carcans-Hourtin-Maubuisson Beautiful Lac d’Hourtins-Carcans is nestled within France’s Aquitaine region. One of the longest and largest bodies of water in the country, it has a… |
| Lake Bracciano (Italy, Lazio Region, Italy) |
14,085 ac | Also known as Lago di Bracciano Flocks of sailboats glide across the surface of Lake Bracciano in the Lazio region of Italy. The sails, ranging from pristine white to bright colors w… |
| Qu’Appelle Lakes (Canada, Saskatchewan, Canada) |
14,075 ac | Also known as Fishing Lakes, Calling Lakes Qu’Appelle? Yes, the name of a group of four popular Southern Saskatchewan lakes is a French question. Qu’Appelle Lakes, also known as the Fishing Lak… |
| Lake Minnetonka, MN (Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Region, MN, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
14,043 ac | Lake Minnetonka’s 14,000 acres contain many bays and coves, resembling a collection of smaller lakes. “Minnetonka” comes from the Sioux language meani… |
| Jordan Lake, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
13,940 ac | Also known as B. Everett Jordan Reservoir, New Hope Lake Jordan Lake, initially called New Hope Lake, is a 13,940-acre reservoir in central North Carolina’s Piedmont region, part of the Upper Cape Fear River… |
| Loch Ness, Scotland (Highlands & Moray Region, Scotland, Scotland, United Kingdom, United Kingdom) |
13,937 ac | In the Scottish Highlands, the air is clear. The mountains roll on and on, like large lumbering animals. Breathtaking glens, left by the cutting passa… |
| Lake Wateree, SC (Olde English District, SC, South Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
13,864 ac | Also known as Wateree Lake Lake Wateree lies 30 miles northeast of Columbia, South Carolina near Interstate 77. Duke Energy created the lake in 1920 by building a dam on the Cat… |
| Lake Starnberg (Bavaria Region, Germany, Germany) |
13,838 ac | Also known as Wurmsee, Starnberger See Lake Starnberg, located in the Five-Lakes Region of Bavaria, plays a major role in the recreational plans of Munich residents. Located only 12 miles f… |
| Saganaga Lake, MN / Canada (Canada, Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, Ontario, Canada, US Midwest Region, USA) |
13,832 ac | The 13,832 acres of Saganaga Lake straddle the border of Northeastern Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. Part of the well known Boundary Waters Canoe Area… |
| Kenai Lake, AK (Alaska, Southcentral Region, AK, US West Region, USA) |
13,813 ac | One of the largest glacial lakes in the Kenai River System, Kenai Lake is a beautiful lake in a road-accessible area of Alaska. The backdrop of the ma… |
| Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
13,766 ac | Called the “Crown Jewel of Wisconsin,” Turtle-Flambeau Flowage is a beautiful undeveloped getaway. Its quiet water, plentiful fish and wildlife and pr… |