Ellbogensee is a lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 in the Mecklenburg Lake District

Mecklenburg Lake District

The Mecklenburg Lake District is the largest coherent lakes and canals area in Germany. It is situated in southern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, extending somewhat into the north of Brandenburg, and sometimes called "the land of the thousand lakes".The Seenplatte includes Müritz National Park, which...

, in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. Whilst most of the lake is in the district of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte

Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (district)

Mecklenburgische Seenplatte is a district in the southeast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is bounded by the districts Ludwigslust-Parchim, Rostock , Vorpommern-Rügen, Vorpommern-Greifswald, and the state Brandenburg to the south...

 in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a portion of its southern shore is in the state of Brandenburg

Brandenburg

Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...

. It has a distinctive shape, reflecting its name.

The lake has an elevation of 54.8 metres (179.8 ft) and a surface area of 1.55 square kilometre (0.598458345818429 sq mi).

The navigable River Havel

Havel

The Havel is a river in north-eastern Germany, flowing through the German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe river and in length...

 flows through the Ellbogensee, entering it at Priepert

Priepert

Priepert is a municipality in the district Mecklenburgische Seenplatte, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the River Havel between the lakes of Großer Priepertsee and Ellbogensee....

 via a 0.6 kilometre (0.372823641989884 mi) long channel from the Großer Priepertsee

Großer Priepertsee

Großer Priepertsee is a lake in the Mecklenburg Lake District, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is situated in the district of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte.The lake has an elevation of and a surface area of ....

 to the north, and exiting via a 0.3 kilometre (0.186411820994942 mi) long channel to the Ziernsee

Ziernsee

Ziernsee is a lake in the Mecklenburg Lake District, in Germany. Whilst most of the lake is in the district of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a portion of its southern shore is in the state of Brandenburg.The lake has an elevation of and a surface area of .The...

 to the east. At Strasen, at the western end of the lake, a canal and lock

Lock (water transport)

A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...

 gives access to the Großer Pälitzsee

Großer Pälitzsee

Großer Pälitzsee is a lake in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. At an elevation of 56.1 m, its surface area is 2.58 km²....

, forming the first link of the Müritz–Havel–Wasserstraße. Navigation is administered as part of the Obere–Havel–Wasserstraße.