Wikipedia

List of lakes by depth

These articles lists the world's deepest lakes.

Lakes ranked by maximum depth edit

This list contains all lakes whose maximum depth is reliably known to exceed 400 metres (1,300 ft)

Geologically, the Caspian Sea, like the Black and Mediterranean seas, is a remnant of the ancient Tethys Ocean. The deepest area is oceanic rather than continental crust. However, it is generally regarded by geographers as a large endorheic salt lake. Of these lakes, 10 have a deepest point above sea level. These are Issyk-Kul, Crater Lake, Quesnel Lake, Sarez Lake, Lake Toba, Lake Tahoe, Lake Kivu, Nahuel Huapi Lake, Lake Van, and Lake Poso.

Continent color key
Africa Antarctica Asia Eurasia Europe North America Oceania South America
Name Country Region Depth Depth2/area
(meters) (feet)
1. Baikal[1]   Russia Southern Siberia 1,642 5,387 9.22×10^−6
2. Tanganyika   Tanzania
  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Burundi
  Zambia 		African Great Lakes 1,470 4,823 8.1×10^−6
3. (Caspian Sea[2])   Kazakhstan
  Turkmenistan
  Azerbaijan
  Russia
  Iran 		Caspian Endorheic basin 1,025 3,363 1.68×10^−6
4. Viedma   Argentina Santa Cruz Province

~900

~2953

N/D
4. Vostok[3]   Antarctica Under the East Antarctic Ice Sheet ~900 ~2953 8.94×10^−6
6. O'Higgins-San Martín[4]   Chile
  Argentina 		Capitán Prat Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina) 836 2,742 2.63×10^−5
7. Malawi   Malawi
  Mozambique
  Tanzania 		African Great Lakes 706 2,316 4.1×10^−6
8. Issyk Kul   Kyrgyzstan Tien Shan Mountains 668 2,192 8.46×10^−6
9. Great Slave   Canada Northwest Territories 614 2,015 3.72×10^−6
10. Crater[5]   United States Oregon 594 1,949 8.16×10^−5
11. Matano   Indonesia Southern Sulawesi 590 1,936 4.61×10^−5
12. General Carrera-Buenos Aires[6]   Chile
  Argentina 		General Carrera Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina) 586 1,923 1.36×10^−5
13. Hornindalsvatnet   Norway Vestland 514 1,686 7.2×10^−5
14. Quesnel   Canada British Columbia 511 1,677 3.13×10^−5
15. Sarez   Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan 505 1,657 5.66×10^−5
15. Toba   Indonesia Sumatra 505 1,657 1.5×10^−5
17. Tahoe   United States California and Nevada 501 1,645 2.26×10^−5
18. Argentino   Argentina Santa Cruz Province 500 1,640 1.33×10^−5
19. Salvatnet   Norway Trøndelag

482

1,581

6.93×10^−5

20. Kivu   Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Rwanda 		African Great Lakes 480 1,575 9.24×10^−6
21. Grand Lake[7]   Canada Newfoundland

475

1,558

N/D
22. Nahuel Huapi   Argentina Río Negro Province and Neuquén Province 464 1,523 2.02×10^−5
23. Hauroko   New Zealand Southland (South Island) 462 1,516 5.82×10^−5
24. Cochrane / Pueyrredón[6]   Chile
  Argentina 		Capitán Prat Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina) 460 1,509 2.55×10^−5
24. Seton   Canada British Columbia

460

1,509

N/D
24. Lake Tinn   Norway Telemark 460 1,509 6.41×10^−5
27. Adams   Canada British Columbia 457 1,499 3.9×10^−5
28. Chelan   United States Washington (state) 453 1,486 3.9×10^−5
28. Mjøsa   Norway Innlandet and Akershus

453

1,486

2.33×10^−5

30. Van[8]   Turkey Eastern Anatolia Region 451 1,480 7.36×10^−6
31. Poso   Indonesia Sulawesi 450 1,476 2.5×10^−5
32. Fagnano   Argentina
  Chile 		Tierra del Fuego 449 1,473 1.77×10^−5
33. Great Bear   Canada Northwest Territories 446 1,463 2.53×10^−6
34. Manapouri   New Zealand Southland (South Island) 444 1,457 3.73×10^−5
35. Como   Italy Lombardy 425 1,394 3.52×10^−5
35. Te Anau   New Zealand Southland (South Island) 425 1,394 2.29×10^−5
37. Tazawa   Japan Akita Prefecture (Honshu) 423 1,387 8.31×10^−5
38. Khantayskoye   Russia Krasnoyarsk Krai

420

1,378

N/D
38. Wakatipu   New Zealand Otago (South Island) 420 1,378 2.47×10^−5
40. Colico   Chile Araucanía Region

416

1,365

N/D
41. Grey   Chile Magallanes Region

410

1,345

N/D
42. Superior   Canada
  United States 		Ontario (Canada) and Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin (United States) 406 1,332 1.42×10^−6

Lakes ranked by mean depth edit

Mean depth can be a more useful indicator than maximum depth for many ecological purposes. Unfortunately, accurate mean depth figures are only available for well-studied lakes, as they must be calculated by dividing the lake's volume by its surface area.[9] A reliable volume figure requires a bathymetric survey.[9] Therefore, mean depth figures are not available for many deep lakes in remote locations.[9] The average lake on Earth has the mean depth 41.8 meters (137.14 feet)[9]

The Caspian Sea ranks much further down the list on mean depth, as it has a large continental shelf (significantly larger than the oceanic basin that contains its greatest depths).

Of the 112 registered lakes; 58 are known to be cryptodepressions. These include: Vostok[3][10] (subglacial surface), (Caspian Sea[2]) (subsea surface), Dead Sea (subsea surface) and Jökulsárlón[7] (glacial lagoon estuary). The remaining: 54 lakes got their whole basins above the sea level.

This list contains all lakes whose mean depth is reliably known to exceed 100 metres (328 ft).

Continent colour key
Africa Antarctica Asia Eurasia Europe North America Oceania South America
Name Country Region Depth
(meters) (feet)
1. Baikal[1]   Russia Southern Siberia 744.4 2,442
2. Tanganyika   Tanzania
  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Burundi
  Zambia 		African Great Lakes 570 1,870
3. Vostok[3][10]   Antarctica Under the East Antarctic Ice Sheet 432 1,417
4. General Carrera-Buenos Aires[6]   Chile
  Argentina 		General Carrera Province

(Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina)

400

1,312

5. Crater[5]   United States Oregon 352.8 1,157
6. Tahoe   United States California and Nevada 307.6 1,009
7. Adams   Canada British Columbia, (Shuswap) 299 981
8. Malawi   Malawi
  Mozambique
  Tanzania 		African Great Lakes 292 958
9. Tazawa   Japan Honshu 280 919
10. Issyk Kul   Kyrgyzstan Tien Shan Mountains 278.4 913
11. Shikotsu   Japan Hokkaido

265.4

871

12. Crveno[7]   Croatia Imotski Area

245

804

13. Kivu   Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Rwanda 		African Great Lakes 240 787
13. Matano[7]   Indonesia Sulawesi 240 787
15. Hornindalsvatnet[7]   Norway Vestland 237.6 780
16. Quilotoa   Ecuador Cotopaxi Province

220

722

17. Toba[7]   Indonesia Sumatra 216 707
18. Heaven   China
  North Korea 		Jilin Province (China) and Ryanggang Province (North Korea)

213

699

19. (Caspian Sea[2])   Kazakhstan
  Turkmenistan
  Azerbaijan
  Russia
  Iran 		Caspian Endorheic basin

211

692

20. Karakul   Tajikistan Pamir Mountains 210 689
21. Sarez   Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan 201.8 662
22. Kurile   Russia Kamchatka Peninsula

195

640

23. Fagnano   Argentina
  Chile 		Tierra del Fuego

193.8

636

24. Todos los Santos   Chile Los Lagos Region

192.7

632

25. Lake Tinn[7]   Norway Telemark 190 623
26. Dead Sea   Jordan
  Palestine
  Israel 		Middle East

188.4

618

27. Llanquihue   Chile Llanquihue Province and Osorno Province

183.7

603

28. Chapo   Chile Los Lagos Region

183.1

601

29. Maggiore   Italy
   Switzerland 		Lombardy, Piedmont (Italy) and Ticino (Switzerland)

177.4

582

30. Ranau   Indonesia Sumatra 174 571
30. Teletskoye   Russia Altai Mountains 174 571
32. Brienz    Switzerland Bern

173

568

33. Lundevatnet[7]   Norway Rogaland and Agder

172

564

34. Slocan   Canada British Columbia, (West Kootenay) 171 561
34. Van   Turkey Eastern Anatolia Region

171

561

36. Te Anau   New Zealand Southland, South Island

168.8

554

37. Lácar   Argentina Neuquén Province

167

548

38. Riñihue   Chile Valdivia Province

162

531

39. Nimpkish   Canada British Columbia,(Vancouver Island)

161

528

40. Azure   Canada British Columbia, (Wells Gray) 157.2 516
41. Nahuel Huapi   Argentina Río Negro Province and Neuquén Province

157

515

41. Quesnel   Canada British Columbia, (Likely and Horsefly) 157 515
43. Suldalsvatnet[7]   Norway Rogaland

156

512

44. Argentino   Argentina Santa Cruz Province

155.4

510

45. Ohrid   North Macedonia
  Albania 		Balkans 155 508
45. Salvatnet[7]   Norway Trøndelag

155

508

47. Atitlán[7]   Guatemala Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre

154

505

47. Como[11]   Italy Lombardy

154

505

49. Geneva[7]    Switzerland

  France

Vaud, Geneva, Valais (Switzerland) and Haute-Savoie (France) 153.4 503
50. Jökulsárlón[7]   Iceland Vatnajökull National Park

153

502

51. Harrison   Canada British Columbia, (Coast Mountains)

151.4

497

52. Mjøsa   Norway Innlandet and Akershus

150

492

53. Menéndez   Argentina Chubut Province

149.9

492

54. Manapouri   New Zealand Southland, South Island

149

489

54. Singkarak   Indonesia Western Sumatra 149 489
56. Lake Superior   Canada
  United States 		Ontario (Canada) and Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin (United States) 147 482
57. Chelan   United States Washington (state)

144

472

58. Huechulafquen   Argentina Neuquén Province

142

466

58. Pend Oreille   United States Idaho

142

466

60. Nemrut   Turkey Bitlis Province

140

459

61. Storsjøen[7]   Norway Innlandet

139

456

62. Khövsgöl   Mongolia Nearby the, Eastern Sayan Mountains

138

453

63. Mashū   Japan Hokkaido

137.5

451

64. Lonar   India Deccan Plateau

137

449

64. Ørsdalsvatnet   Norway Rogaland

137

449

66. Garda   Italy Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino

136

446

66. Thun    Switzerland Bern

136

446

68. Ikeda   Japan Kyushu

135

443

69. Lugano    Switzerland
  Italy 		Ticino (Switzerland) and Lombardy (Italy)

134

440

70. Loch Ness[7]   United Kingdom   Scotland, Caledonia 132 433
71. Oppstrynsvatnet[7]   Norway Vestland

130.9

429

72. Wakatipu   New Zealand Otago, South Island

130

427

73. Breimsvatnet[7]   Norway Vestland

129

423

74. Mainit   Philippines Mindanao

128

420

75. Yelcho   Chile Palena Province

127.6

419

76. Great Central   Canada British Columbia, (Vancouver Island) 124 407
76. Iseo   Italy Lombardy

124

407

78. Greve   Chile Southern Patagonian Ice Field

123.3

405

79. Anderson   Canada British Columbia, (Lillooet)

121.7

399

80. Bandak[7]   Norway Telemark

121

397

81. Fyresvatnet   Norway Telemark

120

394

81. Kanas   China Xinjiang, Altay Prefecture

120

394

81. Towuti   Indonesia Southern Sulawesi

120

394

84. Garibaldi   Canada British Columbia, (Coast Mountains) 119 390
85. Toya[7]   Japan Hokkaido

117

384

86. Hauroko   New Zealand Southland, South Island

116.7

383

87. Mabel   Canada British Columbia, (Shuswap)

114

374

88. Poteriteri   New Zealand Southland, South Island

113.1

371

89. Mascardi   Argentina Río Negro Province

111

364

89. Puelo   Argentina Chubut Province

111

364

91. Lake Taupō[7]   New Zealand Waikato, North Island

110

360

92. Öskjuvatn[7]   Iceland Highlands of Iceland

109

358

93. Chilko   Canada British Columbia, (Chilcotin)

108

354

94. Titicaca   Peru
  Bolivia 		Puno Region (Peru) and La Paz Department (Bolivia) 107 351
95. Tatlayoko   Canada British Columbia, (Chilcotin)

106.4

349

96. Seton   Canada British Columbia, (Lillooet)

106.2

348

97. Gander   Canada Newfoundland 105.4 346
98. Guinas   Namibia Oshikoto Region, Tsumeb

105

344

98. Kauhakō Crater[12][13]   United States Hawaii, (Molokai) 105 344
98. Maninjau   Indonesia Central Sumatra

105

344

101. Walen    Switzerland St. Gallen and Glarus

104.7

343

102. Lucerne    Switzerland Central Switzerland

104

341

103. Rivadavia   Argentina Chubut Province

103.7

340

104. Takla   Canada British Columbia, (Mount Blanchet)

103.1

338

105. Cochrane / Pueyrredón[6]   Chile
  Argentina 		Capitán Prat Province (Chile) and Santa Cruz Province (Argentina)

101.8

334

106. Clearwater[7]   Canada British Columbia, (Wells Gray)

101.6

333

107. Futalaufquen   Argentina Chubut Province

101

331

108. Hāwea[7]   New Zealand Otago, South Island

100.5

330

109. Nueltin[7]   Canada Nunavut and Manitoba

100

328

109. Rara     Nepal Karnali Province

100

328

109. Taal   Philippines Southern Luzon

100

328

109. Viedma   Argentina Santa Cruz Province

100

328

Greatest maximum depth by continent edit

Greatest mean depth by continent edit

See also edit

Notes edit

Note: Lake depths often vary depending on sources. The depths used here are the most reliable figures available in recent sources. See the articles on individual lakes for more details and data sources.

  1. ^ a b Lake Baikal is also the largest freshwater lake by volume.
  2. ^ a b c The Caspian Sea is generally regarded by geographers, biologists and limnologists as a huge inland salt lake. However, the Caspian's large size means that for some purposes it is better modeled as a sea. Geologically, the Caspian, Black, and Mediterranean seas are small oceans, remnants of the ancient Tethys. Politically, the distinction between a sea and a lake may affect how the Caspian is treated by international law.
  3. ^ a b c d e Lake Vostok in Antarctica is a subglacial lake with a depth ranging from 510 to 900 meters.
  4. ^ *CECS, Depth sounding of Lake O'Higgins/San Martín[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ a b Crater Lake in Oregon has a maximum depth of 594m, based on its USGS benchmark surface elevation of 1883m. The US National Park Service publishes different values (1881m for surface elevation, and 592m for the maximum depth). The technical basis of the values determined by the USGS is documented in   Bacon, C. R.; Gardner, J. V.; Mayer, L. A.; Buktenica, M. W.; Dartnell, P.; Ramsey, D. W.; Robinson, J. E. (2002). "Morphology, volcanism, and mass wasting in Crater Lake, Oregon". GSA Bulletin. 114 (6): 675–692. Bibcode:2002GSAB..114..675B. doi:10.1130/0016-7606(2002)114<0675:MVAMWI>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0016-7606. OCLC 4642976847, 196656627. Retrieved 2013-07-08. (subscription required)
  6. ^ a b c d Murdie, Ruth E.; Pugh, David T.; Styles, Peter; Muñoz, Miguel (1999), "Heatflow, Temperature and Bathymetry of Lago General Carrera and Lago Cochrane, Southern Chile" (PDF), Extended Extracts of the Fourth International Symposium on Andean Geodynamics, Gottingen, Germany 04-06/10/1999, Paris: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, pp. 539–542
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Walter K. Dodds; Matt R. Whiles (23 September 2010). Freshwater Ecology: Concepts and Environmental Applications of Limnology. Academic Press. pp. 141–142. ISBN 978-0-12-374724-2. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  8. ^ Degens, E.T.; Wong, H.K.; Kempe, S.; Kurtman, F. (June 1984), "A geological study of Lake Van, eastern Turkey", International Journal of Earth Sciences, 73 (2), Springer: 701–734, Bibcode:1984GeoRu..73..701D, doi:10.1007/BF01824978, S2CID 128628465
  9. ^ a b c d Cael, B. B.; Heathcote, A. J.; Seekell, D. A. (2017). "The volume and mean depth of Earth's lakes". Geophysical Research Letters. 44 (1): 209–218. Bibcode:2017GeoRL..44..209C. doi:10.1002/2016GL071378. hdl:1912/8822. ISSN 1944-8007. S2CID 132520745. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  10. ^ a b Dow, Christine; McCormack, Felicity; Cook, Sue (July 17, 2016). "What Lies Beneath Antarctica's Ice? Lakes, Life and the Grandest of Canyons". The Conversation. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  11. ^ Buzzi (1997), Documento dell'Istitutoitaliano di idrobiologia
  12. ^ Maciolek, J. A. (April 30, 1982), Lakes and Lake-like Waters of the Hawaiian Archipelago (PDF), Occasional Papers of Berenice P. Bishop Museum, vol. 25[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ Coombs, C. R.; Hawke, B. R.; Wilson, L. (1990), "Terrestrial analogs to lunar sinuous rilles - Kauhako Crater and channel, Kalaupapa, Molokai, and other Hawaiian lava conduit systems", Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Proceedings, 20: 195, Bibcode:1990LPSC...20..195C

Sources edit

External links edit

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