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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sooner Lake, OK (Oklahoma, Red Carpet Country, OK, US Southwest Region, USA) |
5,400 ac | Also known as Sooner Reservoir Sooner Lake is a sprawling 5,400-acre reservoir in Pawnee and Noble Counties, Oklahoma. Constructed in 1972 as a source of cooling water for the coal… |
| Charleston Lake (Canada, Ontario, Canada) |
5,359 ac | A natural haven awaits vacationers in Eastern Ontario along the shores of Charleston Lake. Balanced along the eastern edge of the Frontenac Arch geolo… |
| Chisago Lakes (Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Region, MN, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
5,357 ac | About 130 years ago, the Chisago Lakes Chain of Lakes was undivided, linked together as one big lake. The Swedish settlers called the 5,400-acre body… |
| Badin Lake, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
5,350 ac | Badin Lake, a reservoir built in 1917 for hydroelectric power by the Aluminum Company of America, covers 5,350 North Carolina acres with its sparkling… |
| Rush Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
5,338 ac | Rush Lake is a 5,338-acre natural lake located in central Otter Tail County in the Central Region of Minnesota. Rush Lake is part of the Otter Tail Ri… |
| Payette Lake, ID (Idaho, Southwestern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
5,330 ac | Also known as Big Payette Lake One hundred miles north of Boise, nearly surrounded by Payette National Forest, lies breathtaking Payette Lake. Nestled beneath the peaks of the West… |
| Lake Chicot, AR (Arkansas, Delta Region, AR, US South Region, USA) |
5,300 ac | In the southeast corner of Arkansas lies a prominent — though under appreciated — natural wonder: North America’s largest ox-bow lake and Arkansas’s… |
| Crowley Lake (California, High Sierra Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
5,280 ac | Also known as Long Valley Reservoir, Lake Crowley Crowley Lake is known for excellent trout fishing in California’s High Sierras region. Before construction of the Long Valley Dam in 1941, few trout e… |
| Lake Tillery, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
5,263 ac | Also known as Tillery Reservoir Less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, Lake Tillery is one of the best-kept secrets of the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. One of the reservoirs… |
| Lake Geneva, WI (Southern Savanna Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
5,262 ac | Also known as Geneva Lake A laid-back atmosphere mixed with amazing activities make astoundingly beautiful Lake Geneva one of the most perfect relaxation and recreation destina… |
| Brookville Lake, IN (Indiana, South Central Indiana, US Midwest Region, USA) |
5,260 ac | Also known as Brookville Reservoir Nestled in the heart of the Whitewater River Valley, Brookville Lake is a gorgeous body of water providing water storage and many fine recreational ac… |
| Lake Ashtabula, ND (North Dakota, Southeast Region, ND, US Midwest Region, USA) |
5,234 ac | Lake Ashtabula is located among the gentle rolling prairies of southeastern North Dakota. Stretching 27 miles along the Sheyenne River, Lake Ashtabula… |