15 Dangerous Lakes in the US

Time spent in and around the water swimming, fishing, and boating is a summertime staple for millions in the United States, and for good reason. Considering how beautiful and accessible these bodies of water are, it’s no wonder that lakes are some of the most popular destinations.

But as peaceful as lakeside life may be, these still waters hold hidden dangers, and hundreds of lives have been claimed. With the possibility of drowning, poisoning, suffocation, and more, deadly possibilities can be found in every lake.

This article will explore the dangers of 15 of the deadliest lakes throughout North America, such as treacherous weather, dangerous animals, and even toxic gas.

1.Lake Michigan, Michigan

Despite its strong attraction, there’s a bleaker side to Lake Michigan. It has very strong undercurrents that lead to many deaths each year. Many swimmers have lost their lives at the sudden change in the waters. Lake Michigan is no stranger to boating accidents, either. In the fall, Lake Michigan is even more dangerous as changes in water and temperatures occur. The lake is considered to be the deadliest in the United States.

2.Lake of the Ozark, Missouri

At first glance, the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri might look like a peaceful place to take a dip. But looks can be deceiving. The Lake of the Ozarks is actually one of the most dangerous lakes in the United States. There are several reasons why the Lake of the Ozarks is so dangerous. First, the lake is incredibly deep. It’s average depth is 54 feet, but it reaches a maximum depth of 200 feet. This means that if someone were to fall into the lake, they would have a very difficult time getting back to the surface. Second, the Lake of the Ozarks is home to a number of dangerous animals. There are large snakes, alligators, and even bears that live in the area. These animals pose a serious threat to anyone who is swimming in the lake. Finally, the Lake of the Ozarks is known for its strong currents. These currents can quickly pull swimmers under the water and make it very difficult for them to get back to safety. All of these factors combine to make the Lake of the Ozarks a very dangerous place. Anyone who is planning on swimming in the lake should be aware of the risk.

3.Lake Mono, California

Also located in California, Mono Lake is one the the US’s oldest lakes, and one of its deadliest. With no outlet, large amounts of salts have been deposited in the lake, making it almost three times as salty as the oceans and giving it a 10 pH balance. While all this salt has resulted in some amazing tufa columns—basically, natural limestone deposits—it has also made the lake a tad dangerous. Brine shrimp, flies, and a certain type of algae are the only things that live there, and any birds that live around there won’t live for very long if they decide to take a sip. Of course, the lake isn’t always toxic, as the toxicity varies depending on the water’s depth. Mono Lake visitors can use the number of dead birds scattered along its shores as a macabre determining factor.

4. Lake Erie,Canada-Northen US

Lake Erie is the second-most dangerous Great Lake in terms of sudden drowning by currents — about 2 deaths per year, compared with about 6 for Lake Michigan. But Lake Erie also has a huge algae problem, causing both a large “dead zone” where no fish can survive and a drinking-water crisis in Toledo that’s made national news. Eleven million people rely on Lake Erie for drinking water, the most of any of the 11 deadliest lakes in the United States.

5. Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona

Bearing the dubious distinction of most dangerous among Arizona’s five of the 11 deadliest lakes in the United States, Lake Mead is also the largest manmade reservoir in the country. It was created by gigantic Hoover Dam, whose construction cost 100 lives of its own in the 1930s. Boating accidents are rampant in Lake Mead, and the Colorado River as a whole had more boating accidents than the Atlantic Ocean coast

6. Lake Powell, Utah-Arizona

Another manmade reservoir on the Colorado River — but not the last in the countdown — Lake Powell is saddled with a high number of boating accidents. Officials in Arizona have named factors like falling water levels, since the same number of boaters in a smaller area of lake will have a higher chance of crashing. And because these Arizona lakes are both created by dams and regulated by international agreements, there’s no way to avoid lowering the water level if it’s needed.

7. Lake Mohave, Arizona-Nevada

This Colorado River reservoir is the first of several narrow, twisting manmade lakes that made the list of 11 deadliest lakes in the United States. Created by a 1944 treaty, Lake Mohave is a huge recreational draw in the region, offering better SCUBA diving than most inland bodies of water could ever hope to. The damming process lowered the water temperature and endangered or relocated some species. As with Lake Pleasant, Lake Mohave’s danger lies in boating accidents.

8. Devil’s Swamp Lake, Louisiana

Just 10 miles from Baton Rouge, you’ll find the aptly named Devil’s Swamp Lake, a proposed Superfund site since 2004 and a rich source of cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls — say that five times fast — that were banned in 1979. The Louisiana Department of Health said in 2009 that the water was not hazardous to the public, but advised in 2015 that people should not swim in or have contact with the lake or eat any fish or crawfish from it.

9.Lake Lanier, Georgia

Deaths in the water are becoming more and more common on the Lake, from accidental drownings and accidental deaths to automobiles crashing into the lake for no discernible cause. Probably the most well-known and the most dangerous lakes in the US as well as in the state of Georgia.

Between 1999 and 2018, there were 57 boating deaths and 145 drownings in Lake Lanier. There were 43 deaths at Lake Lanier alone between 2015 and 2021. According to Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources, Lanier had 128 watercraft incidents between 2015 and 2018.

10. Lake Pleasant, Arizona

Manmade Lake Pleasant is the centerpiece of a popular boating and fishing destination near Phoenix. Its primary danger is in boating accidents, where it made the top 15 most dangerous bodies of water in the nation according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Local officials regularly caution boaters not to drink and drive and to be sure they have enough life jackets. And carbon monoxide is a risk anytime many boats gather in one place with their engines running.

11. Lake Washington, Washington

Once the site of a plant that manufactured creosote — an especially sticky petrochemical — the southeastern shore of Lake Washington has since served as a storage site for even more cancer-causing fossil-fuel swill. The lake occupies prime real estate in the middle of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area, so there are two beaches near the dumping site, not to mention habitats for animals like threatened Chinook salmon and bald eagles. It was listed as a Superfund site in 2006.

12. Jacobs Well, Texas

The Houston Chronicle reported that a dozen people have died scuba diving in Jacob’s Well, hence why it’s often called one of the most dangerous diving spots in the world.1 In 1979, two young Texans were caught in one of the well’s caves and drowned. One of their remains was flushed out of the well in 1981 while the other remained in the well until a 2000 recovery mission.

The problem with diving in Jacob’s Well is that its passageways become so narrow that divers must remove their tanks. Then there’s the sheer depth of the cave: Diego Adame, a 21-year-old from San Antonio, lost a flipper while free diving the caves deep in the well in July 2015 and had to cut away his weight belt to make it back to the surface before his breath ran out, describing it as a death-defying experience.

Even up top, though Jacob’s Well can be dangerous. The well is only about 12 feet in diameter and surrounded by rock, yet many dive head-first into it. Some do flips, etc., into the upward current. Swimming is allowed, but only at-your-own-risk and between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Reservations must be made and last only two hours.

13.Horshoe Lake, California

Horseshoe Lake in California is surrounded by hundreds of acres of dead trees, making it an ideal site for a picnic and a hike. Between 1989 and 1990, a series of earthquakes opened up pathways for carbon dioxide to migrate from the liquid below, culminating in the dead trees.

Eventually, a warning system has been implemented around the lake due to fluctuations in carbon dioxide levels caused by bouts of depression in the ground as well as over the lake itself. While the lake is generally harmless, there have been a few deaths associated with the gas.

14.Lake Havasu, Arizona

Lake Havasu is a man-made lake in Arizona that is extremely hazardous and well-known as the the most dangerous lakes in the US for a variety of reasons. Yes! It is possible to swim comfortably in Lake Havasu as well as other warm bodies of water. Even though Naegleria Fowler may be present in a broad variety of freshwater lakes across the world, infections are exceedingly uncommon.

An abundance of wildlife can be found in this refuge, including peacocks and peregrine falcons as well as desert bighorn sheep as well as larger roadrunners. In the rear of Beal Lake, thousands of bats and razorback suckers emerge from ancient mines.

15. Onondaga Lake, New York

Onondaga Lake, once derided as the nation’s most contaminated lake, is slowly but surely recovering due to the EPA. Mercury, herbicides, and even human excrement were all part of the noxious concoction.

A total of 2.2 million cubic yards of contaminants from the lake-bed were dredged and removed between 2012 and 2014 by individuals named by the Environmental Protection Agency as “responsible parties.”

In conclusion, as most of our top four selections have revealed, some lakes are renowned as the most dangerous lakes in the US due to their natural design, while others have become so due to careless human meddling. For those who have been injured in the presence of the latter, the best part is that those responsible can be held liable for their actions.