Largest lakes & reservoirs in Virginia by water volume
The estimated volume of water that a lake contains is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. By this measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is Siberia’s Lake Baikal.Water Volume can be measured in acre-feet, in cubic miles, or in cubic kilometers. One acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre (43,560 square feet) to a depth of one foot. One cubic mile equals 3,379,200 acre-feet. One cubic kilometer equals 810,713 acre-feet. 1 acre-foot is equal to 325,851 US gallons. Siberia’s Lake Baikal contains about 6,276,367,740,000,000 gallons of freshwater – nearly 1 million gallons for every living person on earth.
The other – and more widely used – measure of a lake’s size is the lake’s surface acreage. By that measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is North America’s Lake Superior.
Note: In the United States, an acre foot is a unit of volume used to refer to large-scale bodies of water. It is defined by the volume of water needed to cover 1 acre of surface area to a depth of 1 foot.
You can find many of the the world’s largest lakes (by water volume) on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, the water volume data is unknown or does not apply, so you may see fewer lakes than the total 30 articles we have published for Virginia lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US South Region > Virginia > Compared by water volume. This list does not represent all lakes in Virginia, only the 30 Virginia lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Water vol. in ac-ft |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Kerr Lake, NC/VA (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, Southern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
3,364,500 ac-ft | (Also known as Kerr Reservoir, John H Kerr Reservoir, Buggs Island Lake, Buggs Island Reservoir) The 48,900-acre John H. Kerr Reservoir straddles the Virginia-North Carolina border. This impoundment of the Roanoke and Dan Rivers, completed by the… |
| Smith Mountain Lake, VA (Blue Ridge Highlands, VA, Central Virginia, Southern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
1,140,000 ac-ft | (Also known as Jewel of the Blue Ridge) With emerald green shores, sapphire blue skies, topaz blue waters, and soaring surrounding mountains, it’s clear why Smith Mountain Lake is nicknamed… |
| Lake Gaston, NC/VA (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, Southern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
450,000 ac-ft | Lake Gaston covers 20,300 acres along 34 miles of Virginia and North Carolina real estate. The lake was created in 1963 by the Virginia Electric and P… |
| Philpott Lake, VA (Blue Ridge Highlands, VA, Southern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
250,000 ac-ft | (Also known as Philpott Reservoir) Snuggled into the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 2,880-acre Philpott Lake resides in southwestern Virginia’s Franklin, Henry, and Patrick Counties. The irr… |
| Claytor Lake, VA (Blue Ridge Highlands, VA, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
232,000 ac-ft | Claytor Lake is a 4,475 acre impoundment of the New River in southwestern Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands region. Stretching out over 21 miles in Pula… |
| South Holston Lake, VA (Blue Ridge Highlands, VA, East Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
189,100 ac-ft | (Also known as South Holston Reservoir) An impoundment of the South Fork Holston River, South Holston Lake is an exceptional place to fish and boat. Straddling the Virginia and Tennessee sta… |
| Lake Moomaw, VA (Shenandoah Valley Region, VA, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
123,700 ac-ft | Lake Moomaw is located in western Virginia, just north of Covington in the Shenandoah Valley region. It is nearly surrounded by George Washington Nati… |
| Leesville Lake, VA (Central Virginia, Southern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
94,960 ac-ft | (Also known as Leesville Reservoir) The 3000+ acre Leesville Lake is another of Virginia’s prolific fishing and outdoor recreation reservoirs. It is part of the Smith Mountain Lake hydro… |
| Lake Manassas, VA (Northern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
30,674 ac-ft | Lake Manassas is nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of Prince William County in Northern Virginia. Created in 1969 by the impoundment of Broad Run… |
| Occoquan Reservoir, VA (Northern Virginia Region, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
25,472 ac-ft | (Also known as Occoquan River Reservoir or Lake Occoquan) In the dialect of the Native American Dogue tribe, “occoquan” means “at the end of the water.” The Dogue tribe occupied Northern Virginia up until the… |
| Carvins Cove Reservoir, VA (Shenandoah Valley Region, VA, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
19,948 ac-ft | (Also known as Carvin Cove Reservoir) Nestled among the Blue Ridge Mountains, Carvins Cove Reservoir is a precious natural treasure for the State of Virginia. The reservoir never ceases to… |
| Swift Creek Reservoir, VA (Central Virginia, US South Region, USA, Virginia) |
15,958 ac-ft | Surrounded by secluded communities, beautiful Swift Creek Reservoir is the perfect respite in the suburban jungle. Just 20 minutes southwest of Richmo… |