Cheney Reservoir Water Level

KS · North Fork Ninnescah River

1,422.40ft
Reading: Jul 21, 2026
0.80 ft above full pool
1396.6 ft1421.6 ft (full)
Full pool
1421.6 ft
Vs full pool
+0.80 ft
Managed by
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recent high
Recent low

Water level history

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

About Cheney Reservoir

Cheney Reservoir is a reservoir on the North Fork Ninnescah River in KS, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It supplies much of Wichita's water and is a top sailing lake. Its full summer pool sits at 1421.6 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Cheney Reservoir's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Cheney Reservoir is completely filled — 1421.6 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 1421.6 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 Cheney Reservoir 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 Cheney Reservoir, 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.

Cheney Reservoir — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Cheney Reservoir?

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

What is full pool for Cheney Reservoir?

Cheney Reservoir's full summer pool is 1421.6 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Cheney Reservoir?

Cheney Reservoir is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the North Fork Ninnescah River.

Where is Cheney Reservoir located?

Cheney Reservoir is in KS, on the North Fork Ninnescah River.

Why is Cheney Reservoir 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 Cheney Reservoir?

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

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