Lakes / North Dakota / Lake Sakakawea
Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota
350,520 acres
Surface Area
180 ft
Max Depth
65.7 ft
Average Depth
1,396.5 mi
Shoreline
1,839 ft
Surface Elevation
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - North Dakota
47.78 degrees N, 102.32 degrees W - McLean 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 Sakakawea
Schematic cross-section drawn to one shared depth scale - not a survey or bathymetric map.
How Lake Sakakawea Stacks Up
- The largest lake counted in North Dakota by surface area - 350,520 acres.
- The largest lake in McLean County among those counted.
- Its average depth of 65.7 ft is more than 6 times a typical shallow North Dakota lake, which averages under 10 ft.
- About 57 miles from Minot, as the crow flies.
Fish Species
WalleyeChinook SalmonNorthern PikeBigmouth BuffaloChannel CatfishCiscoCommon CarpFreshwater DrumGoldeyeSaugerSmallmouth BassWhite BassYellow PerchSmallmouth BuffaloBlack CrappieWhite CrappieRainbow SmeltBurbot (Ling)Lake Whitefish
Species recorded for this lake. Presence only - no abundance ratings.
Facts and Figures
Waterbody ID143777120
CountyMcLean
Coordinates47.7840, -102.3225
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 143777120); USGS EPQS. Verified October 30, 2026.