What is a shallow lake?

Shallow lakes are lakes where the sunlight can reach the bottom. Generally, this corresponds to 10-15 feet deep or less. Since the sunlight can reach the bottom, plants are able to grow there. There are over 5,000 shallow lakes in Minnesota that are over 50 acres in size.



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In sharp contrast to deep lakes, shallow lakes (typically mean depths less than 8 feet) can remain well-mixed and oxygenated from surface to bottom over the summer months. Thus, the depletion of dissolved oxygen is typically not a problem in many shallow lakes.

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Sunlight warms the entire water column in a shallow lake, therefore the water can mix with the bottom sediments all summer long. Waves caused by wind can also turn to the bottom of shallow lakes and stir up sediments.

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Lake Erie. The fourth largest out of the five Great lakes, Erie is also the shallowest and the smallest in volume. In terms of surface area, Erie takes thirteenth place in the world. Niagara River is its biggest natural outflow, providing a huge amount of hydroelectric power to both the United States and Canada.

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  • Lake Erie is the smallest (by volume) and shallowest of the Great Lakes. Although it does not hold as much water as the other four lakes, Lake Erie is considered the most productive of the Great Lakes. ...
  • Due to its west-to-east orientation, Lake Erie is prone to seiches. ...
  • Harmful Algal Blooms.


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Stretching all the way down to 1,645 feet deep, Lake Tahoe has beautiful crystal-clear waters at an elevation of 6,225 feet above sea level. Known for its phenomenal clarity, this ancient lake has the purest waters in North America, making this The Clearest Lake in the United States.

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Crater Lake, located in the Cascade Range in Oregon, is the deepest lake in the United States. It is also a relatively young lake, having been formed about 7,700 years ago when a massive volcano called Mount Mazama collapsed following an eruption.

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At 1,943 feet (592 meters), Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest in the world.

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Since water is good at holding heat, the more water there is, the more heat it will hold. This is why large deep lakes take longer freeze and melt than small shallow lakes. Water freezes from the perimeter of the lake to the center.

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Deep lakes only mix in spring and fall, and the bottom of deep lakes stays cold and dark because light cannot reach the bottom. Shallow lakes, in contrast, mix all summer because light reaches the bottom of the lake and warms the whole water column.

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