Skip to content
lakeglance

MontanaNatural lake, 126,024 acres, Flathead County, Lake County

Flathead Lake water level

Flathead Lake, Montana
Photo: The original uploader was Cactus.man at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0

Current level

2,891.62ft above sea level

Reading from Oct 26, 2026

Near normal for October

Past 24 hours
-0.05ft
Past 7 days
-0.28ft
Past 30 days
-1.23ft
vs typical October
-0.06ft

Flathead Lake was at 2,891.62 ft on October 26, falling 0.28 ft over the past week. That is near normal for October: the typical October level is 2,891.68 ft, so the lake is 0.06 ft below its usual mark.

Last 30 days

2891.52892.02892.52893.0typicalSep 24Oct 9Oct 24

Shaded band shows the lowest and highest October monthly averages on record. Dashed line is the typical October level.

Typical level through the year

Each bar spans the range of monthly averages on record for that month. The line marks the median. The orange dot is where the lake sits now.

28852890JFMAMJJASOND

Recent daily readings

Flathead Lake daily mean water level, newest first
DateLevel (ft above sea level)Change
Oct 24, 20262,891.67-0.06
Oct 23, 20262,891.73-0.02
Oct 22, 20262,891.75-0.05
Oct 21, 20262,891.80-0.05
Oct 20, 20262,891.85-0.05
Oct 19, 20262,891.90-0.04
Oct 18, 20262,891.94-0.03
Oct 17, 20262,891.97-0.08
Oct 16, 20262,892.05-0.05
Oct 15, 20262,892.10-0.04
Oct 14, 20262,892.14-0.05
Oct 13, 20262,892.19-0.07
Oct 12, 20262,892.26-0.11
Oct 11, 20262,892.37-0.03

Reading these numbers

Readings are reservoir surface elevations in feet, as published by the U.S. Geological Survey. Compare them with ramp and dock elevations from the lake operator to judge whether a launch is usable.

Natural lake levels usually move slowly, following rain, snowmelt and evaporation. A rise after a wet week can flood low docks and beaches, while late-summer lows expose rocks and weed beds near shore.

The gauge is about 14 miles from the center of the lake and is listed by USGS as Flathead Lake at Polson MT. Wind can pile water up at one end of a big lake for a few hours, so short spikes on a windy day are normal.

Flathead Lake water level questions

What is the water level at Flathead Lake today?

Flathead Lake was at 2,891.62 ft on October 26, falling 0.28 ft over the past week. That is near normal for October: the typical October level is 2,891.68 ft, so the lake is 0.06 ft below its usual mark.

Is Flathead Lake high or low right now?

Compared with the long-term record for October, the lake is near normal. The October monthly average has ranged from 2,890.14 to 2,892.63 ft, with a typical value of 2,891.68 ft.

Is Flathead Lake rising or falling?

Over the last seven days the level has fallen (-0.28 ft), and it is -1.23 ft compared with 30 days ago.

Where does the Flathead Lake water level data come from?

From the U.S. Geological Survey, gauge 12371550 (Flathead Lake at Polson MT). USGS publishes provisional readings every 15 to 60 minutes; they can be revised later after quality checks.

How often is this page updated?

The page itself is rebuilt every day with the latest daily values, and the current reading refreshes straight from the USGS each time you open it.

Nearby lakes

If Flathead is blown out, these are the closest alternatives. Tap through for their water levels.