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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gull Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
9,418 ac | Also known as Brainerd Lakes Gull Lake, located in the Central Region of Minnesota’s “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, boasts 9,418 surface acres and 38 miles of pristine shoreline. The dee… |
| Lake Bob Sandlin (Piney Woods Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
9,400 ac | Also known as Bob Sandlin Reservoir How does a state like Texas, with few natural lakes, become a well-respected bass fishing destination? A look at Lake Bob Sandlin explains the paradox… |
| Lake Celilo, OR/WA (Mt. Hood-The Gorge Region, OR, Oregon, Southwest Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
9,400 ac | Also known as Dalles Lock and Dam Beautiful and serene Lake Celilo is located off of I-84 about an hour and a half east of Portland, Oregon. Lake Celilo stretches 24 miles long and str… |
| Lake Cootharaba (Australia, Queensland, Australia) |
9,390 ac | International visitors to Queensland’s famous Sunrise Coast usually don’t suspect an entirely different kind of watery delight awaits at Lake Coothara… |
| Bankhead Lake, AL (Alabama, Metropolitan Region, AL, US South Region, USA) |
9,245 ac | Much more like the river it began as than the lake it is now, Bankhead Lake winds it way through the Metropolitan region of Alabama. With twists and t… |
| Lake Pleasant, AZ (Arizona, North Central Arizona, US Southwest Region, USA) |
9,222 ac | Also known as New Lake Pleasant One of the finest water recreation areas in Arizona, Lake Pleasant is true to its name – a pleasant oasis in a desert setting. Lake Pleasant’s 9,200 s… |
| Lake Sacajawea, WA (South Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
9,200 ac | Named after the Shoshone woman, Sacajawea, who was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Lake Sacajawea is located in south-central Washington.… |
| Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO (Colorado, Southwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
9,178 ac | Also known as Blue Mesa Lake Beautiful mesas, deep canyons, and steep rocky cliffs surround Blue Mesa Reservoir, the second largest lake entirely in Colorado. The clear, blue, mou… |
| Nimpkish Lake (British Columbia, Canada, Canada) |
9,143 ac | Also known as Lake Nimpkish Nimpkish Lake is a scenic wonder and a prime destination for windsurfers and fishermen. Located at the northeast corner of Vancouver Island, Nimpkish… |
| Lake Entiat, WA (North Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
9,100 ac | Also known as Rocky Reach Reservoir No trip to the north central part of Washington would be complete without a visit to Lake Entiat and the Rocky Reach Dam. Lake Entiat is a 9,100 acre… |
| Wilson Lake, KS (Kansas, North Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
9,020 ac | Also known as Wilson Reservoir Nicknamed the “Clearest Lake in Kansas”, Wilson Lake is located in the heart of the Smoky Hills of central Kansas. This reservoir is an unexpected jew… |
| Fern Ridge Lake, OR (Oregon, US West Region, USA, Willamette Valley Region, OR) |
9,000 ac | Also known as Fern Ridge Reservoir Fern Ridge Lake is the largest of thirteen flood control reservoirs in Oregon’s Williamette Valley. With 9000 acres of water, Fern Ridge Lake is a pre… |