Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in Florida by altitude
While lake levels can flucuate frequently based on several circumstances, the altitude/elevation of a lake is based on its normal water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level. For a reservoir, this water level is also known as “full pond” or “full pool”.Low lake levels can occur due to deliberate seasonal draw downs for irrigation or impending snow melt, reduced water inflows, drought and evaporation, residential or commercial water demands, and hydropower generation. Some lakes’ minimum and maximum elevations are virtually the same. Lakes that generate hydropower may vary by several feet – according to power demand. Lakes whose primary purpose is to prevent flooding can seasonally vary by 100 feet or more. When some lakes reach their minimum elevation, their boat ramps may not be long enough to permit boat access – and boats docked on shallow parts of the lake may end up on dry ground. In those cases, kayakers and shore-based anglers may be among the few happy recreational users of the lake.
A lake’s highest water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level, that can occur during flooding. A lake’s highest possible maximum elevation is usually the top of the lake’s dam or spillway. At lakes that include residential development, government regulations usually forbid the construction of homes below a lake’s maximum elevation.
You can find many of the world’s highest-elevated lakes on LakeLubbers. Lakes with the lowest elevations (known by LakeLubbers) are shown on the final page of that list. Note: For some lakes, "Altitude/Elevation" data is unknown, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 81 articles we have published for Florida lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US South Region > Florida > Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in Florida, only the 81 Florida lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Elevation in feet | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Cypress Lake, FL (East Central Florida, Florida, US South Region, USA) |
53 ft | Also known as Lake Cypress Cypress Lake, a 4097 acre expanse in Osceola County, is a prime vacation destination in central Florida.One of the lakes on the Kissimmee Waterway, Bo … |
Lake Istokpoga, FL (Florida, South Florida, US South Region, USA) |
42 ft | Lake Istokpoga, located in Highlands County, is Florida’s fifth largest lake and stretches out over 27,692 Florida acres. With a maximum length of 10 … |
Lake Okeechobee, FL (Florida, South Florida, US South Region, USA) |
19 ft | With over 451,000 blue, watery acres, Lake Okeechobee is a lake with many titles. It is, by surface acreage, the largest lake in Florida. It also hold … |
Deer Point Lake, FL (Florida, Panhandle West Region, FL, US South Region, USA) |
8 ft | Deer Point Lake is located north of Panama City, off of US 331 and SR-77. Primarily used as a public water source, Deer Point Lake is also used for ir … |
Lake Jesup, FL (East Central Florida, Florida, US South Region, USA) |
7 ft | At 16,000 acres, Lake Jesup is one of central Florida’s largest lakes and, indeed, one of the largest lakes in the state. Though not a swimming lake, … |
Lake Tarpon, FL (Florida, US South Region, USA, West Central Florida) |
4 ft | Also known as Tarpon Lake, formerly Lake Butler In the West Central Region of Florida, there is no finer lake than Lake Tarpon. The 2529-acre lake, often called the ‘Jewel of Pinellas County’ is onl … |