Which lake is North America’s largest high-altitude lake by volume?

Lake Tahoe is North America’s largest high-altitude lake by volume.

It lies in the Sierra Nevada on the border between California and Nevada, at an elevation of about 1,897 metres. The lake holds approximately 156 cubic kilometres of water and reaches a maximum depth of about 501 metres.

Tahoe formed when glaciers reshaped an older basin, with later volcanic activity influencing the surrounding landscape. Its famously clear water reflects low nutrient levels, though clarity has changed over time because of ecological pressures and introduced species.

Lake Tahoe is sometimes described as the deepest lake in the United States. That is incorrect: Oregon’s Crater Lake is deeper, reaching about 594 metres. Tahoe is, however, the largest alpine lake in North America by volume and is a major recreation and tourism destination.