R.D. Bailey Lake Water Level
West Virginia · Guyandotte River
Full pool is the summer level. R.D. Bailey Lake is drawn down about 23 ft to roughly 1012 ft over winter for flood storage, so a lower reading outside the summer season is usually scheduled rather than drought.
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Water level history
About R.D. Bailey Lake
R.D. Bailey Lake is a reservoir on the Guyandotte River in West Virginia, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 1035 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding R.D. Bailey Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when R.D. Bailey Lake is completely filled — 1035 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 1035 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 normal year R.D. Bailey Lake sits highest through the summer recreation season and lower over winter, when the Corps makes room for storms. Extended dry spells in late summer and fall are what usually pull the lake noticeably below full pool.
The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for R.D. Bailey 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.
R.D. Bailey Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of R.D. Bailey Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows R.D. Bailey Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for R.D. Bailey Lake?
R.D. Bailey Lake's full summer pool is 1035 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages R.D. Bailey Lake?
R.D. Bailey Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Guyandotte River.
Where is R.D. Bailey Lake located?
R.D. Bailey Lake is in West Virginia, on the Guyandotte River.
Why is R.D. Bailey 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 R.D. Bailey Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for R.D. Bailey Lake.
Other lakes near R.D. Bailey Lake
- Summersville LakeWV
- East Lynn LakeWV
- Sutton LakeWV
- Burnsville LakeWV
- Beech Fork LakeWV
- Bluestone LakeWV
See current levels for all 7 West Virginia lakes and reservoirs →
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