What is the highest wave recorded on the lake?

There’s no widely documented record for the single highest wave ever measured on Lake Minnetonka

While there’s no widely documented record for the single highest wave ever measured on Lake Minnetonka, the lake is indeed susceptible to seiches (storm- or pressure-driven oscillations) that can generate waves several feet high across the lake basin.

Here’s what’s known:

• Seiches on inland lakes like Minnetonka can produce sloshing water surges between ends of the lake. These events can cause wave heights reaching several meters—up to around 2 m (≈ 6 .5ft)—as observed in other lakes.

• While specific data for Minnetonka is scarce, it shares this dynamic potential with other Great Lakes and inland lakes with similar shapes and wind exposure.

• The University of Minnesota St. Anthony Falls Lab studied boat-generated wakes, not natural seiches. They found that wakesurfing boats produce waves requiring 600 ft (≈183 m) to dissipate—firmly in the man-made category.

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🌊 In summary:

• No confirmed “record wave” number is publicly cited for Lake Minnetonka.

• Natural seiches could generate waves up to approximately 2 m, but actual measurements on Lake Minnetonka are not documented.

• All officially reported wave studies focus on boat wakes, not natural events.

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📌 Have you noticed unusually high waves there?

If you've experienced large or unexpected swells—especially during strong winds—it could well have been a seiche. Lake Minnetonka can indeed “slosh” significantly under the right conditions!