LakeLevelIs Lake Sakakawea low right now?
Lake Sakakawea was at 1,824.30 ft on October 10, 2026, 13.20 ft below its full pool of 1,837.5 ft. That is 15.08 ft below the typical level for October 10 — lower than in 9 of 10 past years. Over the past week the lake has been falling about 0.03 ft a day.
Lake Sakakawea on Oct 10 in past years
Daily levels, last two weeks
| Date | Level (ft) | Change | vs full pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10 | 1,824.16 | +0.05 | −13.3 |
| Oct 9 | 1,824.11 | −0.02 | −13.4 |
| Oct 8 | 1,824.13 | −0.10 | −13.4 |
| Oct 7 | 1,824.23 | −0.02 | −13.3 |
| Oct 6 | 1,824.25 | +0.06 | −13.3 |
| Oct 5 | 1,824.19 | −0.05 | −13.3 |
| Oct 4 | 1,824.24 | −0.14 | −13.3 |
| Oct 3 | 1,824.38 | +0.17 | −13.1 |
| Oct 2 | 1,824.21 | −0.18 | −13.3 |
| Oct 1 | 1,824.39 | −0.02 | −13.1 |
| Sep 30 | 1,824.41 | +0.01 | −13.1 |
| Sep 29 | 1,824.40 | +0.10 | −13.1 |
| Sep 28 | 1,824.30 | −0.04 | −13.2 |
| Sep 27 | 1,824.34 | +0.04 | −13.2 |
About Lake Sakakawea
- Full pool
- 1,837.5 ft (Top of Conservation)
- 10-year range
- 1,824.1 ft (October 9, 2026) to 1,853.3 ft (July 4, 2018)
- Operated by
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Data
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — NWDM district, GARR
- Datum
- NGVD29
Lakes near Lake Sakakawea
- Lake AudubonNorth Dakota · 11 mi 1,846.5 ft −0.0 wkHigher than usual for this time of year
- Heart Butte ReservoirNorth Dakota · 65 mi 2,057.7 ft +0.0 wkLower than usual for this time of year
- Lake DarlingNorth Dakota · 66 mi 1,596.6 ft −0.1 wkAt full pool
- Dickinson LakeNorth Dakota · 79 mi 2,417.4 ft −0.1 wkNormal for this time of year
- White Earth LakeNorth Dakota · 89 mi 2,153.1 ft −0.1 wkLatest reading
- E. Branch Short Creek ReservoirNorth Dakota · 120 mi 1,887.5 ft −0.1 wkHigher than usual for this time of year
Questions
Is Lake Sakakawea low right now?
Lake Sakakawea was at 1,824.30 ft on October 10, 2026, 13.20 ft below its full pool of 1,837.5 ft. That is 15.08 ft below the typical level for October 10 — lower than in 9 of 10 past years. Over the past week the lake has been falling about 0.03 ft a day.
What is full pool for Lake Sakakawea?
Full pool (Top of Conservation) is 1,837.5 ft above sea level, per U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Levels above it mean the operator is storing flood water; levels below it are normal in late summer and winter drawdowns.
How often is the Lake Sakakawea level updated?
The operator reports every 15 minutes to an hour. This page refreshes several times a day; the time of the latest reading is shown next to the level.
Where does this data come from?
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (NWDM district, GARR). Readings are provisional and can be revised.