The lake is in the unitary authority of Westmorland and Furness and the ceremonial county of Cumbria.

Elter Water forms part of the boundary between the historic counties of Lancashire and Westmorland, and is the northernmost point of the former.

The name Elterwater means either The lake is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, but there have been problems with water quality, in particular eutrophication.

[1] Thomas Frederick Worrall painted a watercolour of the lake with Langdale Pikes in the background.

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