This Is the Deepest Lake in Each State

According to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), a division of the United Nations Environment Program, out of the 195 nations worldwide, only 17 of them are megadiverse. To be labeled as megadiverse, countries must display outstanding biodiversity, with the main criteria being endemism at the species, genera, and family level, need to contain at least 5,000 species of endemic plants, and must have marine ecosystems within its borders. Megadiversity is vital for planet sustainability.

There are 17 countries labeled as megadiverse, which cover only about 10% of the Earth’s surface but are home to more than 70% of the planet’s species. These countries are Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, the United States, and Venezuela.

The United States comes in at number 10, with a high diversity of freshwater and marine ecosystems, and is estimated to have more than three million lakes in its borders (most of which are in Alaska). These lakes range in size and depth, saltwater and freshwater, and while almost every state has at least one natural lake in its borders (some have many more), according to the National Lake Assess (NLA) 2012, 48% of U.S. lakes are man-made.

U.S. Lakes

Danita Delimont / Shutterstock.com

The U.S. features tens of thousands of square miles of water area, which is key in its megadiverse designation. The nation’s water environments range from the ocean depths to raging rivers to inland lakes. The United States is estimated to have the third-most lakes of any country in the world, trailing only Canada and Russia.

While the exact number of lakes is hard to ascertain, discovering its depths can be done with verifiable numbers. Here is a look at the deepest lake in each U.S. state. (If you want to see which lakes are drying up, here is a list of famous lakes in danger of drying up , one of which is included in the list below.)

Determining the Deepest U.S. Lakes

NASA / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

To determine each state’s deepest lake, 24/7 Wall St. consulted various sources such as state government and geological survey websites. The Great Lakes were not included in this survey. These five lakes are massive natural wonders that touch eight U.S. states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York).

According to the Environmental Protection Agency , the maximum depths of the Great Lakes are:

• Lake Superior – 1,332 feet (406 meters)
• Lake Michigan – 925 feet (282 meters)
• Lake Ontario – 802 feet (244 meters)
• Lake Huron – 750 feet (229 meters)
• Lake Erie – 210 feet (64 meters)

These lakes account for 21% of the world’s freshwater and are the deepest lakes in any state they touch. For example, Lake Superior is clearly the deepest lake in Minnesota. For our purposes, though, we excluded these lakes (which could be considered freshwater seas) and focused on the deepest inland lakes in each state.

Where Most Deep Lakes Are Found

SeanXu / iStock via Getty Images

The United States has lakes within the borders of all 50 states and while many of these are natural, a large portion are comprised of manmade reservoirs. Maryland is the only state that doesn’t have natural lakes but has more than 100 manmade impoundments, all of which were created through damming rivers, most of which are named reservoirs.

At the opposite end is the state of Alaska which has the most natural lakes in the country. The Last Frontier state has nearly 3,200 named lakes and over three million unnamed lakes. It is also a state with more lakes with depths of over 300 feet, which is interesting because the nation’s deepest lake is found in the northwestern part of the contiguous United States.

Depth Ranges

Alisha Bube / iStock via Getty Images

The deepest lake in each state showcases quite a range of depths, while the shallowest lake is just nine feet deep, less than the typical deep end of a swimming pool, which is ten feet deep. Compare that to the deepest lake in the U.S., which reaches 1,949 feet deep. The waters of this lake could completely cover One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the nation, with 173 feet to spare.

Here we have identified the deepest lake in each state.

Alabama – Lewis Smith Lake (also known as Smith Lake)

Quintaped, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 264 feet (80 meters)
• Surface Area: 21,200 acres

Alaska – Lake Clark

EWY Media / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Freshwater lake
• Maximum Depth: 1,054 feet (321 meters)
• Surface Area: 81,920 acres

Arizona – Lake Mead

APK, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 532 feet (162 meters)
• Surface Area: 158,080 acres

Arkansas – Lake Ouachita

DronePhotographer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Hydro-Electric reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 200 feet (61 meters)
• Surface Area: 66,324 acres

California – Lake Tahoe

SamRushing / Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Ancient lake
• Maximum Depth: 1,645 feet (501 meters)
• Surface Area: 122,240 acres

Colorado – Grand Lake

Jwy, CC BY 2.5 DEED, via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Glacial lake
• Maximum Depth: 389 ft (119 meters)
• Surface Area: 507 acres

Connecticut – Lake Lillinonah

Ritu Manoj Jethani / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 110 feet (33.5 meters)
• Surface Area: 1,547 acres

Delaware – Horsey Pond

kenlund / Flickr

• Type of Lake: Freshwater reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 9 feet (3 meters)
• Surface Area: 46 acres

Florida – Deep Lake

National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Natural sinkhole
• Maximum Depth: 90 feet (27 meters)
• Surface Area: 31 acres

Georgia – Carters Lake

MissBlue / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Natural lake, reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 450 feet (137 meters)
• Surface Area: 3,200 acres

Hawaii – Halali’i Lake

USGS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Ephemeral lake
• Maximum Depth: Varies (Halali’i Lake’s depth depends on the weather. During the rainy seasons, it is Hawaii’s deepest lake)
• Surface Area: 840 acres

Idaho – Lake Pend Oreille

Silvrshootr / Getty Images

• Type of Lake: Natural lake
• Maximum Depth: 1,158 feet (353 meters)
• Surface Area: 96,000 acres

Illinois – Devil’s Kitchen Lake

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters / Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 90 feet (27.5 meters)
• Surface Area: 810 acres

Indiana – Tippecanoe Lake

David Benbennick / Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 123 feet (37 meters)
• Surface Area: 880 acres

Iowa – West Lake Okoboji

kbrighton / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Blue water lake
• Maximum Depth: 136 feet (41.5 meters)
• Surface Area: 3,847 acres

Kansas – Milford Lake and Wilson Lake (tie)

Aqeela_Image / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoirs
• Maximum Depth: 65 feet (20 meters)
• Surface Areas: Milford Lake – 15,709 acres, Wilson Lake – 9,020 acres

Kentucky – Herrington Lake

Joshinatorky at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Artificial reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 249 feet (76 meters)
• Surface Area: 2,335 acres

Louisiana – Lake Peigneur

David Benbennick / Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Brackish lake
• Maximum Depth: 200 feet (61 meters)
• Surface Area: 1,125 acres

Maine – Sebago Lake

Derek Young / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Oligotrophic lake
• Maximum Depth: 316 feet (96 meters)
• Surface Area: 30,513 acres

Maryland – Quarry Lake

James Stuby based on USGS image, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 490 feet (150 meters)
• Surface Area: 40 acres

Massachusetts – Quabbin Reservoir

Solarapex at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 151 feet (46 meters)
• Surface Area: 119,940 acres

Michigan – Torch Lake

Notorious4life (talk) (Uploads), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Oligotrophic lake
• Maximum Depth: 285 feet (87 meters)
• Surface Area: 18,770 acres

Minnesota – Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake

I, Elkman / Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Artificial lake
• Maximum Depth: 450 feet (137 meters)
• Surface Area: 121 acres

Mississippi – Okhissa Lake

Norm Lane / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 75 feet (23 meters)
• Surface Area: 1,075 acres

Missouri – Table Rock Lake

Eifel Kreutz / Getty Images

• Type of Lake: Artificial lake/reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 220 feet (67 meters)
• Surface Area: 42,400 acres

Montana – Tally Lake

• Type of Lake: Freshwater lake
• Maximum Depth: 492 feet (150 meters)
• Surface Area: 1,200 acres

Nebraska – Lake McConaughy

Geoff Robinson /Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 142 feet (43 meters)
• Surface Area: 35,700 acres

Nevada – Lake Tahoe

MariuszBlach / Getty Images

• Type of Lake: Freshwater Lake
• Maximum Depth: 1,645 feet (501 meters)
• Surface Area: 122,240 acres

New Hampshire – Lake Winnipesaukee

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

• Type of Lake: Glacially formed lake
• Maximum Depth: 212 feet (65 meters)
• Surface Area: 44,500 acres

New Jersey – Merrill Creek Reservoir

Nicholas from Pennsylvania, USA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 225 feet (68.5 meters)
• Surface Area: 650 acres

New Mexico – Navajo Lake

James Orndorf / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 395 feet (120 meters)
• Surface Area: 15,600 acres

New York – Seneca Lake

Dough4872, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Glacial lake
• Maximum Depth: 618 feet (188 meters)
• Surface Area: 42,797 acres

North Carolina – Fontana Lake

Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 440 feet (134 meters)
• Surface Area: 10,230 acres

North Dakota – Lake Sakakawea

Life Atlas Photography / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 180 feet (55 meters)
• Surface Area: 307,000 acres

Ohio – Caesar Creek Lake

Kfasimpaur, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 115 feet (35 meters)
• Surface Area: 2,830 acres

Oklahoma – Broken Bow Lake

Khosro / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 185 feet (56 meters)
• Surface Area: 14,000 acres

Oregon – Crater Lake

National Park Service / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

• Type of Lake: Volcanic lake
• Maximum Depth: 1,949 feet (594 meters)
• Surface Area: 13,069 acres

Pennsylvania – Raystown Lake

Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 200 feet (61 meters
• Surface Area: 8,300 acres

Rhode Island – Scituate Reservoir

United States Geological Survey, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 87 feet (27 meters)
• Surface Area: 3,392 acres

South Carolina – Lake Jocassee

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 350 feet (107 meters)
• Surface Area: 7,500 acres

South Dakota – Lake Oahe

Chaden Roggow / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 205 feet (62.5 meters)
• Surface Area: 370,000 acres

Tennessee – Watauga Lake

Ryan Rice at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 265 feet (81 meters)
• Surface Area: 6,430 acres

Texas – Lake Travis

Roschetzky Photography / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 210 feet (64 meters)
• Surface Area: 18,930 acres

Utah – Bear Lake

MH Anderson Photography / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Natural freshwater lake
• Maximum Depth: 208 feet (63 meters)
• Surface Area: 69.760 acres

Vermont – Lake Willoughby

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

• Type of Lake: Glacial lake
• Maximum Depth: 328 feet (100 meters)
• Surface Area: 1,687 acres

Virginia – Smith Mountain Lake

23penguin, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 220 feet (67 meters)
• Surface Area: 20,480 acres

Washington – Lake Chelan

jmacarthur / Getty Images

• Type of Lake: Glacially overdeepened lake
• Maximum Depth: 1,486 feet (453 meters)
• Surface Area: 33,280 acres

West Virginia – Summersville Lake

Malachi Jacobs / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Reservoir
• Maximum Depth: 327 feet (99.5 meters)
• Surface Area: 2,700 acres

Wisconsin – Wazee Lake

summerday008 / Flickr

• Type of Lake: Artificial lake
• Maximum Depth: 355 feet (108 meters)
• Surface Area: 146 acres

Wyoming – Fremont Lake

Stephan Rapp / Shutterstock.com

• Type of Lake: Glacially-formed lake
• Maximum Depth: 607 feet (185 meters)
• Surface Area: 5,050 acres

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