Śniardwy (German: der Spirdingsee^ⓘ)^[1] is a lake in the Masurian Lake District of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland.

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Śniardwy
Śniardwy in Niedźwiedzi Róg
Śniardwy Show map of Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Śniardwy Show map of Poland
Location	Masurian Lake District
Coordinates	53°46′N 21°45′E
Type	Glacial lake
Basin countries	Poland
Max. length	22.1 km (13.7 mi)
Max. width	13.4 km (8.3 mi)
Surface area	113.8 km2 (43.9 sq mi)
Average depth	6.5 m (21 ft)
Max. depth	23 m (75 ft)
Water volume	0.65 km3 (530,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation	117 m (384 ft)
Islands	8

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At 113.8 square kilometres (43.9 sq mi), Śniardwy is the largest lake in Poland. It was also the largest lake in Prussia and in Germany, when Warmia-Masuria was under German rule and formed the southern part of East Prussia.^[2] It is 22.1 kilometres (13.7 mi) long and 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi) wide. The maximum depth is 23 metres (75 feet). There are eight islands on the Śniardwy lake.^[3]

Śniardwy was formed by retreating ice sheet and draining floodwaters occurring as the result of ice calving ahead of the receding glacier. Among the eight islands are: Szeroki Ostrów, Czarci Ostrów, Wyspa Pajęcza, Wyspa Kaczor and others. Surrounding settlements include Popielno, Głodowo, Niedźwiedzi Róg, Okartowo, Nowe Guty, Zdęgowo and Łuknajno.^[3]

Among the many inlets, two are named as separate lakes: Warnołty and Seksty. Śniardwy connects with the following lakes: Tuchlin, Łuknajno, Mikołajskie, Roś, Białoławki and Tyrkło. It is surrounded by the system of canals known as Kanały Mazurskie (Masurian Canals), with numerous sluices. Together, they form the Polish Masurian Lake District.^[3]