Largest lakes & reservoirs in Colorado 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 49 articles we have published for Colorado lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US West Region > Colorado > Compared by water volume. This list does not represent all lakes in Colorado, only the 49 Colorado lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Water vol. in ac-ft | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Trinidad Lake, CO (Colorado, Southeast Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
30,815 ac-ft | (Also known as Trinidad Reservoir) Seated at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in southeastern Colorado, Trinidad Lake is a great place to fish, boat, sail, and enjoy the outdoors. W … |
Jumbo Reservoir, CO (Colorado, Northeast Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
28,178 ac-ft | (Also known as Julesburg Reservoir) Jumbo Reservoir is a 1,200-acre lake located in the northeast corner of Colorado. In the summer of 2006, severe drought drained the reservoir and all … |
Chatfield Reservoir, CO (Colorado, Denver Area, CO, US West Region, USA) |
27,000 ac-ft | (Also known as Chatfield Lake) Standing in fields of prairie clover looking at blue herons on beautiful Chatfield Reservoir, it’s hard to imagine that this spot is just outside the … |
Steamboat Lake, CO (Colorado, Northwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
26,364 ac-ft | If fishing one “gold medal” lake is good, then two must be better – and that is just what you will find at Steamboat Lake in northwestern Colorado. Th … |
Electra Lake, CO (Colorado, Southwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
22,000 ac-ft | (Also known as Cascade Reservoir) The majestic peaks of the San Juan Mountains stand guard over the breathtaking beauty of southwestern Colorado’s Electra Lake. Found 25 miles north of … |
Shadow Mountain Lake, CO (Colorado, Front Range Region, CO, US West Region, USA) |
18,369 ac-ft | Set against the backdrop of the majestic Rocky Mountains in Colorado’s Front Range region, Shadow Mountain Lake is a picture-postcard Colorado getaway … |
Cherry Creek Reservoir, CO (Colorado, Denver Area, CO, US West Region, USA) |
13,960 ac-ft | (Also known as Cherry Creek Lake) Affectionately called “Denver’s Backyard,” Cherry Creek Lake and State Park provide recreation opportunities for families from all over. Located in Au … |
Crystal Reservoir, CO (Colorado, Southwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
12,891 ac-ft | In 1882 the Curecanti needle became the symbol for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. With its steep cliffs and rock formations, the area around Crys … |
Willow Creek Reservoir (Colorado, Northwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
10,553 ac-ft | A vital link in the chain of water projects that irrigate Colorado’s Eastern Slope, Willow Creek Reservoir is less-known and less crowded than many ne … |
Pearl Lake, CO (Colorado, Northwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
5,657 ac-ft | (Also known as Lester Creek Reservoir) Capturing a scene from America’s West, Pearl Lake reflects pine-covered hills, rocky peaks and expansive blue skies typical of northwestern Colorado. … |
Meadow Creek Reservoir (Colorado, Northwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
5,100 ac-ft | (Also known as Meadow Creek Lake) Meadow Creek Reservoir is a little Colorado lake with a well-deserved reputation as a desirable destination. Only 50 acres in size, the small reservoi … |
Nottingham Lake, CO (Colorado, Northwest Colorado, US West Region, USA) |
100 ac-ft | (Also known as Benchmark Lake, Benchmark Lake Reservoir) Nottingham Lake sits at the heart of Avon, Colorado. A source of water, recreation and pride, Nottingham Lake is surrounded by the beauty of west cent … |