This is a list of lakes in Wales, including those created as

reservoirs A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including control ...

. The names of most lakes in Wales start with the word "''Llyn''", which is Welsh for "''lake''". Except where otherwise referenced, all lakes listed here are named on the relevant Ordnance Survey map at 1:25000 scale.

By area

In terms of surface area, the ten largest lakes in Wales are * Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) — *

Llyn Trawsfynydd Llyn Trawsfynydd is a large man-made reservoir situated near the village of Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd, North Wales. With a total surface area of the reservoir is slightly more extensive than Wales's largest natural lake, Llyn Tegid at . History ...

— *

Lake Vyrnwy , image = Lakevyrnwysummer.jpg , caption = View overlooking Lake Vyrnwy showing the full extent of the lake , image_bathymetry = , pushpin_map=Wales Powys , caption_bathymetry = , location = Wales , c ...

— * Llyn Brenig — * Llyn Celyn — *

Llyn Alaw Llyn Alaw (meaning: ''Lily Lake'') is a man-made reservoir on Anglesey, North Wales managed by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. It is a shallow lake and was built in 1966. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a destination for over-wintering ...

— *

Claerwen Reservoir The Claerwen reservoir and dam in Powys, Wales, were the last additions to the Elan Valley Reservoirs system built to provide water for the increasing water demand of the city of Birmingham and the West Midlands. The dam is built mainly of concre ...

— * Llyn Clywedog — * Nant y Moch Reservoir — *

Caban Coch Reservoir Caban may refer to: * Caban, former brand of Canadian retailer Club Monaco * Cavan (unit), Philippines measure of weight and volume, also spelled ''Caban'' * Operation Caban, 1979 military operation in French Central Africa * Caban Island, part of ...

— All of the above, with the exception of Llyn Tegid, are reservoirs held back by dams. Llyn Tegid was the largest natural lake in Wales though its level has been artificially controlled by sluices since about 1804. The largest natural lake in South Wales is

Llangorse Lake Llangorse Lake ( cy, Llyn Syfaddon, variant: ) is the largest natural lake in Mid and South Wales, and is situated in the Brecon Beacons National Park, near the town of Brecon and the village of Llangors. The lake is famous for its coarse fishin ...

(Llyn Syfaddan), which is also the second largest natural lake.

By unitary authority

This list of Welsh lakes ordered by

unitary authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...

includes lakes with a surface area of greater than , but excludes those lakes and ponds created as part of an active industrial site (i.e., works ponds) and also excludes service reservoirs used to store drinking water as part of the water supply system. Grid references identify the approximate centre of the lake or the dam in the case of artificial reservoirs. For some lakes the unitary authority boundary passes through a lake; in these cases the lake is represented in the list for each appropriate authority. Known occurrences include Llyn Brenig,

Pontsticill Reservoir Pontsticill Reservoir () or Taf Fechan Reservoir is a large reservoir on the Taf Fechan lying partly in the county of Powys and partly within the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil in south Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park a ...

, Llwyn-on Reservoir, Cantref Reservoir and Dol-y-gaer Reservoir. All occurrences are marked with an asterisk (*).

Anglesey

Blaenau Gwent

Bridgend

Caerphilly

Cardiff

Carmarthenshire

Ceredigion

Conwy

Denbighshire

Flintshire

Gwynedd

Merthyr Tydfil

Monmouthshire

Neath Port Talbot

Pembrokeshire

Powys

Note: Caban Coch and Garreg-ddu reservoirs are separately named but form one contiguous area of water at normal levels. The area quoted is for the two combined. At high water levels, Pentwyn Reservoir is continuous with Pontsticill Reservoir, its dam being submerged.

Rhondda Cynon Taf

Swansea

Torfaen

Vale of Glamorgan

Wrexham

By national park

Lakes and reservoirs within each of Wales' three national parks.

Brecon Beacons

Pembrokeshire Coast

Snowdonia

By supply to England

Many Welsh lakes supply the nation itself with water, however, some lakes and reservoirs supply England. The main reservoirs created for this purpose include:

Former lakes

References

{{Wales topics List of lakes

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

Lakes