Dale Hollow Lake Water Level

Kentucky & Tennessee · Obey River

644.18ft
Reading: Aug 22, 2026
6.82 ft below full pool
626 ft651 ft (full)
Full pool
651 ft
Vs full pool
−6.82 ft
Managed by
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recent high
655.37 ft (2024)
Recent low
636.14 ft (2025)

Water level history

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

About Dale Hollow Lake

Dale Hollow Lake is a reservoir on the Obey River in Kentucky & Tennessee, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It produced the world-record smallmouth bass. Its full summer pool sits at 651 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Dale Hollow Lake's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Dale Hollow Lake is completely filled — 651 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 651 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 Dale Hollow 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 Dale Hollow 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.

Dale Hollow Lake — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Dale Hollow Lake?

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

What is full pool for Dale Hollow Lake?

Dale Hollow Lake's full summer pool is 651 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Dale Hollow Lake?

Dale Hollow Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Obey River.

Where is Dale Hollow Lake located?

Dale Hollow Lake is in Kentucky & Tennessee, on the Obey River.

Why is Dale Hollow 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 Dale Hollow Lake?

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

Other lakes near Dale Hollow Lake

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