Summersville Lake Water Level

West Virginia · Gauley River

1,651.83ft
Reading: Sep 11, 2026
0.17 ft below full pool
1627 ft1652 ft (full)
Full pool
1652 ft
Vs full pool
−0.17 ft
Managed by
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recent high
1,655.42 ft (2022)
Recent low
1,516.40 ft (2021)

Water level history

Loading water level history…
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS). Provisional data, subject to revision.

About Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake is a reservoir on the Gauley River in West Virginia, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's the largest lake in West Virginia and a favourite of scuba divers for its clarity. Its full summer pool sits at 1652 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Summersville Lake's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Summersville Lake is completely filled — 1652 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 1652 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 Summersville 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 Summersville 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.

Summersville Lake — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Summersville Lake?

The gauge at the top of this page shows Summersville Lake's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).

What is full pool for Summersville Lake?

Summersville Lake's full summer pool is 1652 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Summersville Lake?

Summersville Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Gauley River.

Where is Summersville Lake located?

Summersville Lake is in West Virginia, on the Gauley River.

Why is Summersville 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 Summersville Lake?

The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Summersville Lake.

Other lakes near Summersville Lake

See current levels for all 7 West Virginia lakes and reservoirs →

Add this gauge to your website

Run a marina, boat rental, guide service, or real-estate site on Summersville Lake? Put this free live-level widget on your page — just copy and paste the code:

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