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Lake Oahe Water Level Today

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

Updated · Source: US Army Corps of EngineersUSACE Provisional

Water level Provisional

1,592.66ft

msl · 12:00 AM CST, Nov 8, 2026

  • 14.84 ftbelow full pool (1,607.5 ft)
  • 14,513,000acre-ft in storage
  • +0.11 ftin 24 h+0.32 ft in 7 days+0.89 ft in 30 days
1,5901,5951,6001,6051,6101,6151,5901,5951,6001,6051,6101,6151,5901,5951,6001,6051,6101,615
  • Full pool
  • 1 yr ago

Is Lake Oahe full?

No. Lake Oahe is 14.84 ft below full pool (1,607.5 ft). It is 7.88 ft lower than a year ago (1,600.54 ft on Nov 8, 2025).

Lake Oahe level history

View data table
DateLevel (ft)% full
Nov 8, 20261,592.66—
Nov 7, 20261,592.60—
Nov 6, 20261,592.57—
Nov 5, 20261,592.61—
Nov 4, 20261,592.69—
Nov 3, 20261,592.86—
Nov 2, 20261,592.64—
Nov 1, 20261,592.32—
Oct 31, 20261,592.34—
Oct 30, 20261,592.32—
Oct 29, 20261,592.32—
Oct 28, 20261,592.28—
Oct 27, 20261,592.22—
Oct 26, 20261,592.27—
Oct 25, 20261,592.23—
Oct 24, 20261,592.29—
Oct 23, 20261,592.05—
Oct 22, 20261,592.07—
Oct 21, 20261,592.14—
Oct 20, 20261,592.04—
Oct 19, 20261,592.04—
Oct 18, 20261,592.13—
Oct 17, 20261,591.88—
Oct 16, 20261,592.13—
Oct 15, 20261,592.28—
Oct 14, 20261,591.98—
Oct 13, 20261,592.01—
Oct 12, 20261,592.06—
Oct 11, 20261,592.09—
Oct 10, 20261,591.88—
Oct 9, 20261,591.77—
  • Lake Oahe level
  • Full pool 1,607.5 ft
  • Above full pool
Source: USACE · Daily averages since 1958

Lake Oahe on Nov 8 in past years

Lake Oahe water level on Nov 8 in past years
YearLevel (ft)vs todayvs full pool
2026today1,592.66—−14.84 ft
20251,600.54+7.88−6.96 ft
20241,597.34+4.68−10.16 ft
20231,599.26+6.60−8.24 ft
20221,590.18−2.48−17.32 ft
20211,596.54+3.88−10.96 ft
20201,607.67+15.01+0.17 ft
20191,612.32+19.66+4.82 ft
20181,609.81+17.15+2.31 ft
20171,609.27+16.61+1.77 ft
20161,609.49+16.83+1.99 ft

Today’s level is the lowest for this date since 2022.

Lake facts

Full pool (conservation pool)
1,607.5 ft msl
Top of flood pool
1,620.0 ft msl
Bottom of conservation pool
1,540.0 ft msl
Record high since 1967
1,619.59 ftJun 27, 2011
Record low since 1967
1,570.10 ftAug 30, 2006
Data since
Aug 4, 1958
Dam
Oahe Damcompleted 1966
River
Missouri River
Operated by
US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District
Dam location
Stanley County
Gauge location
44.4500, −100.4053

Dam, river and owner from the National Inventory of Dams (USACE). Records start in 1967, 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 pool
  3. Lake Oahe1,592.66 ft −14.84 ft vs full poolYou are here

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. Tonight42°FLowSW 8–16 mphPartly Cloudy
  2. Monday61°FHighLow 37°FNW 7–15 mphMostly Sunny
  3. Tuesday58°FHighLow 42°FSSW 7–12 mphPartly Sunny
  4. Wednesday53°FHighLow 33°FNNW 10–16 mphSunny
  5. Thursday45°FHighLow 30°FE 8 mphMostly Sunny
  6. Friday50°FHighLow 35°FSE 9–16 mphSunny
  7. Saturday56°FHighLow 39°FS 9 mphMostly Sunny

Forecast: National Weather Service for the dam area (44.45, −100.41). Wind speeds are forecasts, not measurements.

Quick answers

What is the full pool level of Lake Oahe?
1,607.5 ft above mean sea level, the top of its conservation pool. Above it, water is held in the flood pool (up to 1,620.0 ft) and released through Oahe Dam when conditions downstream allow.
How much does Lake Oahe need to be full?
Lake Oahe needs 14.84 ft more water to reach full pool (1,607.5 ft), as of Nov 8, 2026.
Is Lake Oahe rising or falling?
It is rising: +0.32 ft in the last 7 days and +0.11 ft in 24 hours, to 1,592.66 ft on 12:00 AM CST, Nov 8, 2026 (US Army Corps of Engineers).
When was Lake Oahe last full?
It was last at or above full pool (1,607.5 ft) on Mar 30, 2021. On Nov 8, 2026 it was 14.84 ft below.
What was the highest level ever recorded?
Lake Oahe reached 1,619.59 ft on Jun 27, 2011. The lowest was 1,570.10 ft on Aug 30, 2006 (USACE data since 1967).
How much has Lake Oahe changed in the last year?
In the last 12 months it ranged from 1,591.54 ft (Oct 2, 2026) to 1,602.48 ft (Mar 15, 2026), a swing of 10.94 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.