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lakeglance

IowaReservoir, 5,428 acres

Saylorville Lake water level

Saylorville Lake, Iowa
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Public domain

Current level

837.01ft above sea level

Reading from Oct 26, 2026

Near normal for October

Past 24 hours
-0.37ft
Past 7 days
-0.06ft
Past 30 days
-0.05ft
vs typical October
-0.57ft

Saylorville Lake was at 837.01 ft on October 26, holding steady over the past week (-0.06 ft). That is near normal for October: the typical October level is 837.58 ft, so the lake is 0.57 ft below its usual mark.

Last 30 days

837.0838.0839.0typicalSep 26Oct 11Oct 26

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.

840860880JFMAMJJASOND

Recent daily readings

Saylorville Lake daily mean water level, newest first
DateLevel (ft above sea level)Change
Oct 26, 2026837.09-0.29
Oct 25, 2026837.38-0.35
Oct 24, 2026837.73+0.02
Oct 23, 2026837.71+0.63
Oct 22, 2026837.08+0.06
Oct 21, 2026837.02+0.03
Oct 20, 2026836.99-0.08
Oct 19, 2026837.07-0.16
Oct 18, 2026837.23-0.06
Oct 17, 2026837.29+0.04
Oct 16, 2026837.25+0.29
Oct 15, 2026836.96-0.10
Oct 14, 2026837.06-0.05
Oct 13, 2026837.11-0.27

Reading these numbers

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

On a reservoir, a few feet of drop changes the shoreline more than you would think. Low water exposes stumps, sandbars and old roadbeds that are normally well under the hull, and some ramps end before the water does.

High water brings its own problems: floating debris after storms, flooded docks and courtesy piers, and no-wake rules near flooded campgrounds. A quick look at the trend before you hitch up saves a wasted trip.

The gauge is about 2 miles from the center of the lake and is listed by USACE as Saylorville Lake Reservoir. 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.

Saylorville Lake water level questions

What is the water level at Saylorville Lake today?

Saylorville Lake was at 837.01 ft on October 26, holding steady over the past week (-0.06 ft). That is near normal for October: the typical October level is 837.58 ft, so the lake is 0.57 ft below its usual mark.

Is Saylorville 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 833.83 to 870.95 ft, with a typical value of 837.58 ft.

Is Saylorville Lake rising or falling?

Over the last seven days the level has held roughly steady (-0.06 ft), and it is -0.05 ft compared with 30 days ago.

Where does the Saylorville Lake water level data come from?

From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reading at Saylorville Lake Reservoir. The Corps reports pool elevation, usually every hour, and early values can be revised after review.

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 Corps of Engineers each time you open it.

Nearby lakes

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