Burnsville Lake Water Level

West Virginia · Little Kanawha River

789.51ft
Reading: Sep 11, 2026
0.51 ft above full pool

Full pool is the summer level. Burnsville Lake is drawn down about 13 ft to roughly 776 ft over winter for flood storage, so a lower reading outside the summer season is usually scheduled rather than drought.

764 ft789 ft (full)
Full pool
789 ft
Vs full pool
+0.51 ft
Managed by
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recent high
806.52 ft (2022)
Recent low
772.85 ft (2023)

Water level history

Loading water level history…
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS). Provisional data, subject to revision.

About Burnsville Lake

Burnsville Lake is a reservoir on the Little Kanawha River in West Virginia, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 789 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Burnsville Lake's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Burnsville Lake is completely filled — 789 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 789 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 normal year Burnsville Lake sits highest through the summer recreation season and lower over winter, when the Corps makes room for storms. Extended dry spells in late summer and fall are what usually pull the lake noticeably below full pool.

The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for Burnsville 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.

Burnsville Lake — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Burnsville Lake?

The gauge at the top of this page shows Burnsville Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).

What is full pool for Burnsville Lake?

Burnsville Lake's full summer pool is 789 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Burnsville Lake?

Burnsville Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Little Kanawha River.

Where is Burnsville Lake located?

Burnsville Lake is in West Virginia, on the Little Kanawha River.

Why is Burnsville 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 Burnsville Lake?

The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Burnsville Lake.

Other lakes near Burnsville Lake

See current levels for all 7 West Virginia lakes and reservoirs →

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