Big Spirit Lake

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Spirit Lake
Spirit Lake Show map of Iowa Spirit Lake Show map of the United States
Location	Dickinson County, Iowa
Coordinates	43°28′26″N 95°06′06″W / 43.4739°N 95.1018°W / 43.4739; -95.1018
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	5,684 acres (2,300 ha)
Average depth	17 ft (5.2 m)
Max. depth	24 ft (7.3 m)
Surface elevation	1,404 ft (428 m)[1]

Big Spirit Lake is a natural body of water, approximately 5,684 acres (2,300 ha) in area, in Dickinson County in northwest Iowa in the United States. It is part of the chain of lakes known as the Iowa Great Lakes, the northern shore of the lake straddles the border with Minnesota. It is the largest natural lake in Iowa. The Dakota name for the lake was Minnewaukon. Early French traders named it Lac d'Esprit after the Native legends of an evil spirit who dwelled in the lake.^{[citation needed]}

Its maximum depth is 24 feet (7.3 m), and the mean depth is 17 feet (5 m). The drainage area of the lake is approximately 22 square miles (57 km²). It has a drainage area of approximately 75 mi² (194 km²), most of which is in Minnesota.^{[citation needed]}