HOW MANY LAKES DOES IOWA HAVE?
Skip to contentAccessibility Feedback
how many lakes does iowa have in total
-
- LikeDislikeIowa has over 360 lakes, with 34 being naturally occurring and the rest primarily man-made.Iowa is home to more than 360 lakes in total, though the exact number can vary depending on definitions and size thresholds for lakes Topo Maps, Points of Interests and Places to Visit. Of these, only 34 lakes are naturally occurring, mostly located in the northwest part of the state, while the majority are man-made reservoirs or lakes created for recreation, flood control, or water management krna.com+2. The Iowa Great Lakes system, including Lake Okoboji, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake, contains the deepest natural lakes in the state krna.com+1.Man-Made LakesMany of Iowa’s lakes are artificial, such as Coralville Lake, created by the Coralville Dam on the Iowa River, which has become a popular recreational destination krna.com. These man-made lakes dominate the landscape and are spread throughout the state, serving purposes like tourism, fishing, and flood control.Natural LakesThe 34 natural lakes are remnants of glacial activity from 12,000–14,000 years ago, mostly in northern and central Iowa prrcd.org. They tend to be shallower and smaller than the man-made lakes, with the Iowa Great Lakes being the notable exception due to their depth and size.Summary
- Total lakes in Iowa: Over 360 Topo Maps, Points of Interests and Places to Visit
- Natural lakes: 34 krna.com+2
- Man-made lakes: Majority of the remaining lakes krna.com
- Largest natural lakes: Big Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, East Okoboji Lake BikeHike
This mix of natural and artificial lakes makes Iowa a state with diverse aquatic landscapes suitable for recreation, fishing, and tourism.
- 94.1 KRNAhttps://krna.com › iowa-lakes-factHere is a Fact I Bet You Didn’t Know About the Lakes in IowaDec 21, 2021 · All over. in fact, Iowa’s 34 natural lakes are out in the northwest portion of the state. Of our natural lakes in Iowa, the deepest are part of the lake system known as the Iowa Great Lakes.
- World Population Reviewhttps://worldpopulationreview.com › state-rankings › lakes-by-stateLakes by State 2026 – World Population ReviewWith its sheer size, it’s no surprise that Alaska has the most lakes in the country, with about 3,197 officially named natural lakes and 3 million unnamed natural lakes.
- Topo Maps, Points of Interests and Places to Visithttps://www.anyplaceamerica.com › directory › lakes › iaTop Lakes in IowaThere are 362 Lakes in Iowa. Free topo maps of Lakes in Iowa, along with GPS coordinates, elevation, photos & more.
- Mapscapinghttps://mapscaping.com › iowa-lakes-rivers-mapIowa Lakes and Rivers Map: 13,446 River Miles, 977 sq mi of WaterMay 14, 2026 · This interactive map of Iowa shows every major river, stream, lake, and reservoir in the state. Iowa has 1,161 mapped rivers and streams (totalling 13,446 miles) and 5,635 water bodies, of …
- poidata.iohttps://www.poidata.io › report › lake › united-states › iowaHow many Lakes are there in Iowa, United States in 2026There are 500 Lakes in Iowa, United States as of April, 2026. The highest number of Lakes in Iowa are in Waterloo and Mason City with 10 businesses and 5 businesses, respectively.
- CITYVIEWhttps://www.dmcityview.comIowa — land of 16 lakes – CITYVIEWJul 5, 2017 · Only four states have a smaller percentage of surface area covered by water, and only five states have less surface water by volume. Improvements in these categories are unlikely, unless more …
- CARDhttps://www.card.iastate.edu › resource › iowa-lakes-projectIowa Lakes Project | Center for Agricultural and Rural DevelopmentThis tool provides a wide array of information for about 140 lakes in Iowa, including visitation patterns, water quality, lake usage, and the value of a lake to its local economy.
- Iowa Department of Natural Resourceshttps://www.iowadnr.gov › … › lakes-ponds-and-reservoirsLakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs – Iowa Department of Natural ResourcesMany of Iowa’s thousands of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs are stocked and managed by the Iowa DNR, offering abundant fishing, especially of panfish like crappie and Bluegill.
- Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Category:Lakes_of_IowaCategory:Lakes of Iowa – WikipediaPages in category “Lakes of Iowa” The following 24 pages are in this category, out of 24 total. This list may not reflect recent changes.
- Radio Iowahttps://www.radioiowa.comMajority of Iowa lakes are man-made; only 34 natural lakes in the stateJul 4, 2019 · Just 34 Iowa lakes are naturally occurring. The deepest natural lakes in the state are the system called the Iowa Great Lakes, surrounding the town of Okoboji.
- People also ask
- How many lakes are in Iowa?
- How many rivers are in Iowa?
- Where are Iowa’s lakes located?
- Does Iowa have a pond?
- Deep dive into how many lakes does iowa have in total
Recreational activities at Iowa lakesLargest lakes in AlaskaNamed vs unnamed Alaska lakes