Jamestown Reservoir Water Level
North Dakota · James River
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Water level history
About Jamestown Reservoir
Jamestown Reservoir is a reservoir on the James River in North Dakota, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 1428 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Jamestown Reservoir's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Jamestown Reservoir is completely filled — 1428 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 1428 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 Jamestown 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 Jamestown 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.
Jamestown Reservoir — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Jamestown Reservoir?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Jamestown Reservoir's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Jamestown Reservoir?
Jamestown Reservoir's full summer pool is 1428 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Jamestown Reservoir?
Jamestown Reservoir is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the James River.
Where is Jamestown Reservoir located?
Jamestown Reservoir is in North Dakota, on the James River.
Why is Jamestown 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 Jamestown Reservoir?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Jamestown Reservoir.
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See current levels for all 6 North Dakota lakes and reservoirs →
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