Norfork Lake Water Level
Arkansas & Missouri · North Fork River
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Water level history
About Norfork Lake
Norfork Lake is a reservoir on the North Fork River in Arkansas & Missouri, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's a clear Ozark highland lake known for striped bass. Its full summer pool sits at 553.75 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Norfork Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Norfork Lake is completely filled — 553.75 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 553.75 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 Norfork 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 Norfork 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.
Norfork Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Norfork Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Norfork Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Norfork Lake?
Norfork Lake's full summer pool is 553.75 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Norfork Lake?
Norfork Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the North Fork River.
Where is Norfork Lake located?
Norfork Lake is in Arkansas & Missouri, on the North Fork River.
Why is Norfork 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 Norfork Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Norfork Lake.
Other lakes near Norfork Lake
- Beaver LakeAR
- Bull Shoals LakeAR/MO
- Greers Ferry LakeAR
- Millwood LakeAR
- Lake of the OzarksMO
- Pomme de Terre LakeMO
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