Clinton Lake Water Level

KS · Wakarusa River

876.69ft
Reading: Jul 21, 2026
1.19 ft above full pool
850.5 ft875.5 ft (full)
Full pool
875.5 ft
Vs full pool
+1.19 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 Clinton Lake

Clinton Lake is a reservoir on the Wakarusa River in KS, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's a popular recreation lake just west of Lawrence. Its full summer pool sits at 875.5 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Clinton Lake's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Clinton Lake is completely filled — 875.5 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 875.5 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 Clinton 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 Clinton 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.

Clinton Lake — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Clinton Lake?

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

What is full pool for Clinton Lake?

Clinton Lake's full summer pool is 875.5 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Clinton Lake?

Clinton Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Wakarusa River.

Where is Clinton Lake located?

Clinton Lake is in KS, on the Wakarusa River.

Why is Clinton 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 Clinton Lake?

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

Other lakes near Clinton Lake

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