Big Sandy Lake Water Level
Minnesota · Sandy River
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Water level history
About Big Sandy Lake
Big Sandy Lake is a reservoir on the Sandy River in Minnesota, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 1216.56 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Big Sandy Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Big Sandy Lake is completely filled — 1216.56 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 1216.56 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 Big Sandy 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 Big Sandy 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.
Big Sandy Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Big Sandy Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Big Sandy Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Big Sandy Lake?
Big Sandy Lake's full summer pool is 1216.56 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Big Sandy Lake?
Big Sandy Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Sandy River.
Where is Big Sandy Lake located?
Big Sandy Lake is in Minnesota, on the Sandy River.
Why is Big Sandy Lake low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 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 Big Sandy Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Big Sandy Lake.
Other lakes near Big Sandy Lake
See current levels for all 6 Minnesota lakes and reservoirs →
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