What is the legal definition of a lake?

Lake means a natural or man-made impoundment of water with more than one acre of water surface area at the high water level.



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For example, if sunlight can reach the bottom of the entire body of water, it's generally considered a pond, according to the National Park Service. Conversely, if the body of water is deep enough in some places that sunlight cannot penetrate it, it's generally considered a lake.

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It may surprise you to know there is no technical difference between lakes and ponds, according to the National Park Service(Opens in a new window). However, a general rule of a thumb is if a body of water is large and deep it's a lake and if it's short and shallow it's a pond.

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During the summer, if a waterbody is deep enough to stratify into three distinct layers, with one warm layer on top, one cold layer at the bottom and a layer of rapidly changing temperature in between (called a “thermocline”), then it is a “lake,” while a waterbody with one or two weakly defined layers is a “pond.”

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Most lakes are named after a feature. A sandy lake is often named Sandy Lake. A lake with a lot of fish is often named Fish Lake. A lot of lakes are repeats; there are 20 Mud Lakes in Minnesota.

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Lakes are divided into three trophic categories: oligotrophic, mesotrophic and eutrophic. The prototypic oligotrophic lake is a large deep lake with crystal clear waters and a rocky or sandy shoreline.

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Private Lake means a lake owned by a private lake association or similar organization, or a lake to which access is not provided to the general public.

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6. Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is entirely within U.S. territory. The Great Lakes touch 8 states – but Michigan is the only state that touches four lakes, with borders on Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie.

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A typical lake has three distinct zones (limnetic, littoral and the benthic zone; Fig. 11) of biological communities linked to its physical structure.

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The 5 Key Features that Define a Lake
  • Lakes are inland depressions filled with water. ...
  • Lakes are standing, slow-moving bodies of water. ...
  • Lakes have vast surface areas. ...
  • Lakes are homes to complex ecosystems. ...
  • Lakes are mostly freshwater, but some can be a little salty.


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The material at the bottom of a lake, or lake bed, may be composed of a wide variety of inorganics, such as silt or sand, and organic material, such as decaying plant or animal matter.

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