Bighorn Lake Water Level
Montana & Wyoming · Bighorn River
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Water level history
About Bighorn Lake
Bighorn Lake is a reservoir on the Bighorn River in Montana & Wyoming, operated by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. It runs through Bighorn Canyon, where the walls rise more than 1,000 feet. Its full summer pool sits at 3640 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Bighorn Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Bureau of Reclamation targets when Bighorn Lake is completely filled — 3640 feet above sea level. Above that line the Corps deliberately keeps empty "flood storage" to absorb heavy rain, so the lake rarely sits far above 3640 ft for long. A reading a few feet under full is usually just the normal operating band rather than a sign of drought.
In a typical year the Corps keeps Bighorn Lake lower over winter for flood storage and lets it fill for the summer recreation season. Levels can jump several feet after a single big storm and are drawn down again once the high water passes.
The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for Bighorn Lake, so they show how today compares over that record rather than an all-time extreme. The 12-month and 5-year chart views make the trend and the lake's usual seasonal shape easy to see.
Bighorn Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Bighorn Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Bighorn Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Bighorn Lake?
Bighorn Lake's full summer pool is 3640 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Bighorn Lake?
Bighorn Lake is operated by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the Bighorn River.
Where is Bighorn Lake located?
Bighorn Lake is in Montana & Wyoming, on the Bighorn River.
Why is Bighorn Lake low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when U.S. Bureau of Reclamation lowers the pool for flood storage, power, or water supply — and recover after rain and snowmelt. The history chart above shows the recent trend.
What are the record high and low levels for Bighorn Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Bighorn Lake.
Other lakes near Bighorn Lake
- Canyon Ferry LakeMT
- Tiber Reservoir (Lake Elwell)MT
- Fort Peck LakeMT
- Lake AshtabulaND
- Boysen ReservoirWY
- Flaming Gorge ReservoirUT/WY
See current levels for all 4 Montana lakes and reservoirs →
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