Rathbun Lake Water Level
Iowa · Chariton River
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Water level history
About Rathbun Lake
Rathbun Lake is a reservoir on the Chariton River in Iowa, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 904 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Rathbun Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Rathbun Lake is completely filled — 904 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 904 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 Rathbun 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 Rathbun 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.
Rathbun Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Rathbun Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Rathbun Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Rathbun Lake?
Rathbun Lake's full summer pool is 904 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Rathbun Lake?
Rathbun Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Chariton River.
Where is Rathbun Lake located?
Rathbun Lake is in Iowa, on the Chariton River.
Why is Rathbun 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 Rathbun Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Rathbun Lake.
Other lakes near Rathbun Lake
- Big Sandy LakeMN
- Blue Springs LakeMO
- Bull Shoals LakeAR/MO
- Carlyle LakeIL
- Cross Lake (Whitefish Chain)MN
- Gull LakeMN
See current levels for all 1 Iowa lakes and reservoirs →
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