Wappapello Lake Water Level

Missouri · St. Francis River

359.88ft
Reading: Sep 11, 2026
0.14 ft above full pool

Full pool is the summer level. Wappapello Lake is drawn down about 5 ft to roughly 354.74 ft over winter for flood storage, so a lower reading outside the summer season is usually scheduled rather than drought.

334.74 ft359.74 ft (full)
Full pool
359.74 ft
Vs full pool
+0.14 ft
Managed by
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recent high
383.25 ft (2025)
Recent low
352.99 ft (2023)

Water level history

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

About Wappapello Lake

Wappapello Lake is a reservoir on the St. Francis River in Missouri, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 359.74 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.

Understanding Wappapello Lake's water level

"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Wappapello Lake is completely filled — 359.74 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 359.74 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 Wappapello 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 Wappapello 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.

Wappapello Lake — frequently asked

What is the current water level of Wappapello Lake?

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

What is full pool for Wappapello Lake?

Wappapello Lake's full summer pool is 359.74 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.

Who manages Wappapello Lake?

Wappapello Lake is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the St. Francis River.

Where is Wappapello Lake located?

Wappapello Lake is in Missouri, on the St. Francis River.

Why is Wappapello 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 Wappapello Lake?

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

Other lakes near Wappapello Lake

See current levels for all 12 Missouri lakes and reservoirs →

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