Lakes / North Dakota / Lake Oahe
Lake Oahe, North Dakota
309,912.6 acres
Surface Area
200 ft
Max Depth
62.5 ft
Average Depth
230.4 mi
Shoreline
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - North Dakota
46.33 degrees N, 100.54 degrees W - Emmons County. State and county outlines drawn from Census boundary data; the lake marker is placed by its North Dakota Game and Fish coordinates, not by eye. Schematic - not a survey map.
Depth Profile - Lake Oahe
Schematic cross-section drawn to one shared depth scale - not a survey or bathymetric map.
How Lake Oahe Stacks Up
- Ranks #2 for surface area among the North Dakota lakes counted so far - 309,912.6 acres.
- The largest lake in Emmons County among those counted.
- Its average depth of 62.5 ft is more than 6 times a typical shallow North Dakota lake, which averages under 10 ft.
- About 35 miles from Bismarck, as the crow flies.
Fish Species
WalleyeChannel CatfishNorthern PikeBlack CrappieBurbot (Ling)SaugerSmallmouth BassWhite BassWhite CrappieYellow PerchBigmouth BuffaloBlack BullheadBluegillChinook SalmonCiscoCommon CarpFreshwater DrumGoldeyeLargemouth BassPaddlefishShortnose GarSmallmouth Buffalo
Species recorded for this lake. Presence only - no abundance ratings.
Facts and Figures
Waterbody IDmirror-139478686
CountyEmmons
Coordinates46.3345, -100.5413
Deepest Natural Lakes in North Dakota
| # | Lake | County | Surface Area | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stump Lake | Nelson | 17,681 acres | 77.1 ft |
| 2 | Devils Lake | Ramsey | 110,763 acres | 58.1 ft |
| 3 | Free Peoples Lake | Benson | 891 acres | 55.3 ft |
| 4 | Spiritwood Lake | Stutsman | 493 acres | 54.7 ft |
| 5 | Moon Lake | Barnes | 115 acres | 54.3 ft |
Largest Lakes in North Dakota
| # | Lake | County | Surface Area | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Sakakawea | McLean | 350,520 acres | 180 ft |
| 2 | Lake Oahe | Emmons | 309,912.6 acres | 200 ft |
| 3 | Devils Lake | Ramsey | 110,763 acres | 58.1 ft |
| 4 | Stump Lake | Nelson | 17,681 acres | 77.1 ft |
| 5 | Long Lake | Burleigh | 16,934 acres | - |
Sources: North Dakota Game and Fish lake data (ID mirror-139478686). Verified October 30, 2026.