Rend Lake Water Level
Illinois · Big Muddy River
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Water level history
About Rend Lake
Rend Lake is a reservoir on the Big Muddy River in Illinois, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 405 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Rend Lake's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Rend Lake is completely filled — 405 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 405 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 Rend 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 Rend 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.
Rend Lake — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Rend Lake?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Rend Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Rend Lake?
Rend Lake's full summer pool is 405 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Rend Lake?
Rend Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Big Muddy River.
Where is Rend Lake located?
Rend Lake is in Illinois, on the Big Muddy River.
Why is Rend 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 Rend Lake?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Rend Lake.
Other lakes near Rend Lake
- Lake ShelbyvilleIL
- Carlyle LakeIL
- Lake BarkleyKY/TN
- Barren River LakeKY
- Blue Springs LakeMO
- Bull Shoals LakeAR/MO
See current levels for all 3 Illinois lakes and reservoirs →
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