Pipestem Lake Water Level
North Dakota · Pipestem Creek
Sponsor Pipestem Lake
Put your marina, real-estate, or local business in front of everyone checking this lake's level. One exclusive sponsor per lake.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Water level history
About Pipestem Lake
Pipestem Lake is a reservoir on the Pipestem Creek in North Dakota, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 1442.5 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Pipestem Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Pipestem Lake is completely filled — 1442.5 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 1442.5 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 Pipestem 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 Pipestem 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.
Pipestem Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Pipestem Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Pipestem Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Pipestem Lake?
Pipestem Lake's full summer pool is 1442.5 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Pipestem Lake?
Pipestem Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Pipestem Creek.
Where is Pipestem Lake located?
Pipestem Lake is in North Dakota, on the Pipestem Creek.
Why is Pipestem 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 Pipestem Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Pipestem Lake.
Other lakes near Pipestem Lake
See current levels for all 6 North Dakota lakes and reservoirs →
Add this gauge to your website
Run a marina, boat rental, guide service, or real-estate site on Pipestem Lake? Put this free live-level widget on your page — just copy and paste the code: