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Saylorville Lake Water Level Today

Also known as Lake Saylorville

Daily level, distance to full pool and history for Saylorville Lake, on the Des Moines River in Iowa.

Updated · Source: US Army Corps of EngineersUSACE Provisional

Water level Provisional

838.70ft

msl · 3:00 PM CST, Nov 8, 2026

  • 2.70 ftabove full pool (836.0 ft)
  • 79,489acre-ft in storage
  • −0.33 ftin 24 h+0.77 ft in 7 days+1.36 ft in 30 days
836838840842836838840842
  • Full pool
  • 1 yr ago

Is Saylorville Lake full?

Yes. Saylorville Lake is at full pool and 2.70 ft into its flood pool.

Saylorville Lake level history

Full pool 836.0 ft
View data table
DateLevel (ft)% full
Nov 8, 2026838.70—
Nov 7, 2026839.09—
Nov 6, 2026839.34—
Nov 5, 2026839.14—
Nov 4, 2026838.45—
Nov 3, 2026838.36—
Nov 2, 2026838.07—
Nov 1, 2026837.93—
Oct 31, 2026837.73—
Oct 30, 2026837.57—
Oct 29, 2026837.49—
Oct 28, 2026837.38—
Oct 27, 2026837.28—
Oct 26, 2026836.97—
Oct 25, 2026837.29—
Oct 24, 2026837.66—
Oct 23, 2026837.81—
Oct 22, 2026837.14—
Oct 21, 2026837.03—
Oct 20, 2026836.98—
Oct 19, 2026837.04—
Oct 18, 2026837.19—
Oct 17, 2026837.31—
Oct 16, 2026837.29—
Oct 15, 2026836.98—
Oct 14, 2026837.04—
Oct 13, 2026837.08—
Oct 12, 2026837.31—
Oct 11, 2026837.69—
Oct 10, 2026837.78—
Oct 9, 2026837.34—
  • Saylorville Lake level
  • Full pool 836.0 ft
  • Above full pool
Source: USACE · Daily averages since 2012

Saylorville Lake on Nov 8 in past years

Saylorville Lake water level on Nov 8 in past years
YearLevel (ft)vs todayvs full pool
2026today838.70—+2.70 ft
2025839.10+0.40+3.10 ft
2024837.31−1.39+1.31 ft
2023836.97−1.73+0.97 ft
2022834.00−4.70−2.00 ft
2021838.11−0.59+2.11 ft
2020836.94−1.76+0.94 ft
2019838.74+0.04+2.74 ft
2018854.94+16.24+18.94 ft
2017837.55−1.15+1.55 ft
2016840.59+1.89+4.59 ft

Today’s level is the lowest for this date since 2024.

Lake facts

Full pool (conservation pool)
836.0 ft msl
Top of flood pool
890.0 ft msl
Highest since 2012
886.17 ftJul 9, 2018
Lowest since 2012
829.27 ftMar 8, 2013
Data since
Feb 15, 2012
Dam
Saylorville Damcompleted 1975
River
Des Moines River
Operated by
US Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District
Dam location
Polk County
Gauge location
41.7036, −93.6892

Dam, river and owner from the National Inventory of Dams (USACE). Records cover Feb 15, 2012 to today (daily averages).

Des Moines River chain

UpstreamDes Moines RiverDownstream
  1. Saylorville Lake838.70 ft +2.70 ft vs full poolYou are here
  2. Lake Red Rock749.34 ft +7.34 ft vs full pool

Weather on the lake

  1. This Afternoon63°FHighLow 38°FWNW 5–8 mphSunny
  2. Tonight38°FLowWSW 1–5 mphMostly Clear
  3. Monday66°FHighLow 42°FSSW 2–10 mphSunny
  4. Tuesday62°FHighLow 45°FENE 2 mphSunny
  5. Wednesday57°FHighLow 37°FNNW 3–13 mphMostly Sunny
  6. Thursday46°FHighLow 28°FN 7–12 mphMostly Sunny
  7. Friday46°FHighLow 31°FNNW 5 mphSunny

Forecast: National Weather Service for the dam area (41.70, −93.69). Wind speeds are forecasts, not measurements.

Nearby lakes

Quick answers

What is the full pool level of Saylorville Lake?
836.0 ft above mean sea level, the top of its conservation pool. Above it, water is held in the flood pool (up to 890.0 ft) and released through Saylorville Dam when conditions downstream allow.
Is Saylorville Lake above full pool?
Yes. On Nov 8, 2026 it was 2.70 ft above full pool, in the flood pool. Operators release that water downstream when conditions allow.
Is Saylorville Lake rising or falling?
It is rising: +0.77 ft in the last 7 days and −0.33 ft in 24 hours, to 838.70 ft on 3:00 PM CST, Nov 8, 2026 (US Army Corps of Engineers).
What is the highest level in our data?
Saylorville Lake reached 886.17 ft on Jul 9, 2018. The lowest was 829.27 ft on Mar 8, 2013 (USACE data since 2012; older records are not in this data set).
How much has Saylorville Lake changed in the last year?
In the last 12 months it ranged from 835.77 ft (Apr 19, 2026) to 840.11 ft (Jan 26, 2026), a swing of 4.34 ft.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated several times a day with the latest reading from US Army Corps of Engineers. The last reading is from 3:00 PM CST, Nov 8, 2026.

Where this data comes from

Hourly pool elevation from the US Army Corps of Engineers (water.usace.army.mil). Recent readings are provisional and may be revised. Weather from the National Weather Service. Dam details from the National Inventory of Dams.

Lake Levels Daily is an independent site, not affiliated with TWDB, LCRA, USACE, USGS, NOAA, TVA or any lake operator. Check official sources before making safety decisions.