diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index abc4904..4c2c814 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func main() {
 		// Step 2: Generating Lakes
 		var lakeImage image.Image
 
-		lakeImage, lakes = GenerateLakes(settings.Width, settings.Height, settings.Lakes, settings.LakeSizeLower, settings.LakeSizeUpper, noiseImg, seedProvider.Next())
+		lakeImage, lakes = GenerateLakes(settings.Width, settings.Height, settings.Lakes, settings.LakeSizeLower, settings.LakeSizeUpper, seedProvider.Next(), settings.LakeEdgeRoughness)
 
 		// Step 3: Generating Rivers
 		var riverImage image.Image
@@ -291,6 +291,19 @@ func main() {
 		val, _ := lakeSizeUpperSlider.value.Get()
 		settings.LakeSizeUpper = val
 	}))
+
+	lakeEdgeRoughnessSlider := newNumericInputSlider(0, 100, settings.LakeEdgeRoughness, "%.0f%%", "Lake Edge Roughness")
+	lakeEdgeRoughnessSlider.entry.OnChanged = func(s string) {
+		lakeEdgeRoughnessSlider.validate(s, func(hasError bool) {
+			errorStates["lakeEdgeRoughness"] = hasError
+			updateGenerateBtnState()
+		})
+	}
+	lakeEdgeRoughnessSlider.value.AddListener(binding.NewDataListener(func() {
+		val, _ := lakeEdgeRoughnessSlider.value.Get()
+		settings.LakeEdgeRoughness = val
+	}))
+
 	riversSlider := newNumericInputSlider(0, 5, float64(settings.Rivers), "%.0f", "Rivers")
 	riversSlider.entry.OnChanged = func(s string) {
 		riversSlider.validate(s, func(hasError bool) {
@@ -532,7 +545,7 @@ func main() {
 				progressBar.SetValue(2.0 / 11.0)
 			})
 			var lakeImage image.Image
-			lakeImage, lakes = GenerateLakes(settings.Width, settings.Height, settings.Lakes, settings.LakeSizeLower, settings.LakeSizeUpper, noiseImg, seedProvider.Next())
+			lakeImage, lakes = GenerateLakes(settings.Width, settings.Height, settings.Lakes, settings.LakeSizeLower, settings.LakeSizeUpper, seedProvider.Next(), settings.LakeEdgeRoughness)
 
 			// Step 3: Generating Rivers
 
@@ -700,6 +713,7 @@ func main() {
 		lakesSlider,
 		lakeSizeLowerSlider,
 		lakeSizeUpperSlider,
+		lakeEdgeRoughnessSlider,
 
 		widget.NewLabel(""), // Spacer
 
diff --git a/settings.go b/settings.go
index 1a16f19..4d63e48 100644
--- a/settings.go
+++ b/settings.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ type Settings struct {
 	Lakes                 int     `json:"lakes"`
 	LakeSizeLower         float64 `json:"lake_size_lower"`
 	LakeSizeUpper         float64 `json:"lake_size_upper"`
+	LakeEdgeRoughness     float64 `json:"lake_edge_roughness"`
 	Rivers                int     `json:"rivers"`
 	MinRiverWidth         float64 `json:"min_river_width"`
 	MaxRiverWidth         float64 `json:"max_river_width"`
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ func LoadSettings() (*Settings, error) {
 				Lakes:                 0,
 				LakeSizeLower:         1,
 				LakeSizeUpper:         5,
+				LakeEdgeRoughness:     50,
 				MinTreeSize:           5,
 				MaxTreeSize:           20,
 				TreeCoverage:          20,
diff --git a/water.go b/water.go
index 41095c7..f6b77d3 100644
--- a/water.go
+++ b/water.go
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ func (pq *priorityQueue) Pop() any {
 }
 
 // GenerateLakes creates lakes on the map using a growth algorithm.
-func GenerateLakes(width, height, numLakes int, lakeSizeLower, lakeSizeUpper float64, heightmap image.Image, seed int64) (image.Image, [][]image.Point) {
+// When lakeEdgeRoughness is 0, lakes grow in perfect circles. Higher values add noise-based irregularity.
+func GenerateLakes(width, height, numLakes int, lakeSizeLower, lakeSizeUpper float64, seed int64, lakeEdgeRoughness float64) (image.Image, [][]image.Point) {
 	// Initialize a white canvas to draw the lakes on
 	canvas := image.NewRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, width, height))
 	draw.Draw(canvas, canvas.Bounds(), image.NewUniform(color.White), image.Point{}, draw.Src)
@@ -125,7 +126,7 @@ func GenerateLakes(width, height, numLakes int, lakeSizeLower, lakeSizeUpper flo
 			continue
 		}
 
-		// Use noise to create a more natural lake shape.
+		// Use noise to create a more natural lake shape (only if roughness > 0).
 		seedX := randSrc.Float64() * 10000.0
 		seedY := randSrc.Float64() * 10000.0
 		radius := math.Sqrt(float64(targetPixelsPerLake) / math.Pi)
@@ -134,12 +135,18 @@ func GenerateLakes(width, height, numLakes int, lakeSizeLower, lakeSizeUpper flo
 		getScore := func(pt image.Point) float64 {
 			dx, dy := pt.X-startPt.X, pt.Y-startPt.Y
 			dist := math.Sqrt(float64(dx*dx + dy*dy))
-			noise := noiseGen.Eval2(seedX+float64(dx)*noiseFreq, seedY+float64(dy)*noiseFreq)
 			distPenalty := math.Pow(dist/radius, 3.0)
-			luma, _, _, _ := heightmap.At(pt.X, pt.Y).RGBA()
-			heightmapVal := float64(luma) / 65535.0
-			heightmapEffect := (0.5 - heightmapVal) * 1.5 // Encourage growth in lower areas
-			return noise - distPenalty + heightmapEffect
+
+			// Only apply noise if edge roughness is requested
+			if lakeEdgeRoughness > 0 {
+				noise := noiseGen.Eval2(seedX+float64(dx)*noiseFreq, seedY+float64(dy)*noiseFreq)
+				// Scale noise contribution by roughness setting
+				noiseContribution := noise * (lakeEdgeRoughness / 100.0)
+				return noiseContribution - distPenalty
+			}
+
+			// Pure circular growth when variability is 0
+			return -distPenalty
 		}
 
 		heap.Push(pq, &lakePixel{point: startPt, score: getScore(startPt)})