A cubic-kilometre lake
A cubic-kilometre lake is a hypothetical body of freshwater defined as containing exactly one cubic kilometre of water.
How big is it?
1 km³ in capacity
Volume · example
A little perspective
About 100,000 times the volume of 10 million litre reservoir.
10 million litre reservoir: A reservoir is an artificial or natural lake used to store water for supply, irrigation, or industry.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
A cubic-kilometre lake
A defined 1 km³ water volume, with no claimed shoreline or depth profile.
Defined examples — our methodology
The marked volume is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
10 million litre reservoir
Defined 10,000,000 litre capacity. Actual containers, servings and fills vary. Outer shape is not used to calculate capacity.
Defined examples — our methodology
The marked volume is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 1 km³
For comparison, this page uses volume. This is labelled example: an explicit comparison model rather than a claim that every example has the same value.
A defined 1 km³ water volume, with no claimed shoreline or depth profile.
The identifying illustration and the numerical comparison remain separate. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
A cubic-kilometre lake dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km³ | Not recorded | example |
Around this scale
Go smaller. Go bigger.
These links use compatible volume records, ordered around the selected value.
Nearest lower value · Containers10 million litre reservoir10,000 m³A reservoir is an artificial or natural lake used to store water for supply, irrigation, or industry.
Nearest higher value · SpaceEnceladus67,110,000 km³Enceladus is a natural satellite of Saturn, with an icy surface and plumes of water vapour erupting from its south pole.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
More ways to see it
Curated comparisons
There’s always another scale
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