Elk City Lake Water Level

KS · Elk River

796.33ft
Reading: Jul 21, 2026
0.33 ft above full pool
771 ft796 ft (full)
Full pool
796 ft
Vs full pool
+0.33 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 Elk City Lake

Elk City Lake is a reservoir on the Elk River in KS, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 796 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Elk City Lake's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Elk City Lake is completely filled — 796 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 796 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 Elk City 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 Elk City 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.

Elk City Lake — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Elk City Lake?

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

What is full pool for Elk City Lake?

Elk City Lake's full summer pool is 796 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Elk City Lake?

Elk City Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Elk River.

Where is Elk City Lake located?

Elk City Lake is in KS, on the Elk River.

Why is Elk City 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 Elk City Lake?

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

Other lakes near Elk City Lake

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