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Lake Sakakawea Water Level Today

Also known as Garrison Reservoir

Daily level, distance to full pool and history for Lake Sakakawea, on the Missouri River in North Dakota.

Updated · Source: US Army Corps of EngineersUSACE Provisional

Water level Provisional

1,823.93ft

msl · 12:00 AM CST, Nov 8, 2026

  • 13.57 ftbelow full pool (1,837.5 ft)
  • 13,901,000acre-ft in storage
  • +0.10 ftin 24 h+0.18 ft in 7 days−0.18 ft in 30 days
1,8251,8301,8351,8401,8451,8251,8301,8351,8401,8451,8251,8301,8351,8401,845
  • Full pool
  • 1 yr ago

Is Lake Sakakawea full?

No. Lake Sakakawea is 13.57 ft below full pool (1,837.5 ft). It is 7.13 ft lower than a year ago (1,831.06 ft on Nov 8, 2025).

Lake Sakakawea level history

View data table
DateLevel (ft)
Nov 8, 20261,823.93
Nov 7, 20261,823.94
Nov 6, 20261,823.88
Nov 5, 20261,823.84
Nov 4, 20261,823.91
Nov 3, 20261,823.96
Nov 2, 20261,823.99
Nov 1, 20261,823.81
Oct 31, 20261,823.79
Oct 30, 20261,823.78
Oct 29, 20261,823.87
Oct 28, 20261,823.96
Oct 27, 20261,823.81
Oct 26, 20261,823.84
Oct 25, 20261,823.93
Oct 24, 20261,824.25
Oct 23, 20261,823.94
Oct 22, 20261,823.94
Oct 21, 20261,823.97
Oct 20, 20261,823.99
Oct 19, 20261,823.94
Oct 18, 20261,824.08
Oct 17, 20261,824.03
Oct 16, 20261,824.06
Oct 15, 20261,824.43
Oct 14, 20261,824.08
Oct 13, 20261,824.17
Oct 12, 20261,824.14
Oct 11, 20261,824.15
Oct 10, 20261,824.23
Oct 9, 20261,824.11
  • Lake Sakakawea level
  • Full pool 1,837.5 ft
  • Above full pool
Source: USACE · Daily averages since 1953

Lake Sakakawea on Nov 8 in past years

Lake Sakakawea water level on Nov 8 in past years
YearLevel (ft)vs todayvs full pool
2026today1,823.93—−13.57 ft
20251,831.06+7.13−6.44 ft
20241,837.35+13.42−0.15 ft
20231,840.35+16.42+2.85 ft
20221,833.13+9.20−4.37 ft
20211,830.18+6.25−7.32 ft
20201,839.13+15.20+1.63 ft
20191,841.16+17.23+3.66 ft
20181,841.42+17.49+3.92 ft
20171,841.15+17.22+3.65 ft
20161,839.22+15.29+1.72 ft

Today’s level is the lowest for this date since 2007.

Lake facts

Full pool (conservation pool)
1,837.5 ft msl
Top of flood pool
1,854.0 ft msl
Bottom of conservation pool
1,775.0 ft msl
Record high since 1965
1,854.80 ftAug 1, 1975
Record low since 1965
1,805.80 ftMay 12, 2005
Data since
Dec 2, 1953
Dam
Garrison Damcompleted 1953
River
Missouri River
Operated by
US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District
Dam location
Mercer County
Gauge location
47.5050, −101.4325

Dam, river and owner from the National Inventory of Dams (USACE). Records start in 1965, after the first filling of the reservoir.

Missouri River chain

UpstreamMissouri RiverDownstream
  1. Fort Peck Lake2,221.31 ft −12.69 ft vs full pool
  2. Lake Sakakawea1,823.93 ft −13.57 ft vs full poolYou are here
  3. Lake Oahe1,592.66 ft −14.84 ft vs full pool

Fort Peck, Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe are the three largest Corps of Engineers reservoirs on the Missouri River; three more lie downstream in South Dakota and Nebraska.

Weather on the lake

  1. Tonight41°FLowW 6–13 mphMostly Cloudy
  2. Monday54°FHighLow 31°FW 9–17 mphSunny
  3. Tuesday50°FHighLow 34°FS 1–6 mphMostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
  4. Wednesday45°FHighLow 26°FN 6 mphMostly Sunny
  5. Thursday45°FHighLow 28°FSE 6–9 mphMostly Sunny
  6. Friday51°FHighLow 32°FS 8–14 mphMostly Sunny
  7. Saturday55°FHighLow 35°FSW 6–9 mphMostly Sunny

Forecast: National Weather Service for the dam area (47.50, −101.43). Wind speeds are forecasts, not measurements.

Quick answers

What is the full pool level of Lake Sakakawea?
1,837.5 ft above mean sea level, the top of its conservation pool. Above it, water is held in the flood pool (up to 1,854.0 ft) and released through Garrison Dam when conditions downstream allow.
How much does Lake Sakakawea need to be full?
Lake Sakakawea needs 13.57 ft more water to reach full pool (1,837.5 ft), as of Nov 8, 2026.
Is Lake Sakakawea rising or falling?
It is rising: +0.18 ft in the last 7 days and +0.10 ft in 24 hours, to 1,823.93 ft on 12:00 AM CST, Nov 8, 2026 (US Army Corps of Engineers).
When was Lake Sakakawea last full?
It was last at or above full pool (1,837.5 ft) on Nov 20, 2024. On Nov 8, 2026 it was 13.57 ft below.
What was the highest level ever recorded?
Lake Sakakawea reached 1,854.80 ft on Aug 1, 1975. The lowest was 1,805.80 ft on May 12, 2005 (USACE data since 1965).
How much has Lake Sakakawea changed in the last year?
In the last 12 months it ranged from 1,823.78 ft (Oct 30, 2026) to 1,831.05 ft (Nov 11, 2025), a swing of 7.27 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 12:00 AM 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.