Marion Reservoir Water Level

KS · Cottonwood River

1,350.96ft
Reading: Jul 21, 2026
0.46 ft above full pool
1325.5 ft1350.5 ft (full)
Full pool
1350.5 ft
Vs full pool
+0.46 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 Marion Reservoir

Marion Reservoir is a reservoir on the Cottonwood River in KS, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 1350.5 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Marion Reservoir's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Marion Reservoir is completely filled — 1350.5 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 1350.5 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 Marion 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 Marion 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.

Marion Reservoir — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Marion Reservoir?

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

What is full pool for Marion Reservoir?

Marion Reservoir's full summer pool is 1350.5 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Marion Reservoir?

Marion Reservoir is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Cottonwood River.

Where is Marion Reservoir located?

Marion Reservoir is in KS, on the Cottonwood River.

Why is Marion 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 Marion Reservoir?

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

Other lakes near Marion Reservoir

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