Lake Winnibigoshish Water Level
Minnesota · Mississippi River headwaters
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Water level history
About Lake Winnibigoshish
Lake Winnibigoshish is a reservoir on the Mississippi River headwaters in Minnesota, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Locals just call it Big Winnie. Its full summer pool sits at 1298.44 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Lake Winnibigoshish's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers targets when Lake Winnibigoshish is completely filled — 1298.44 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 1298.44 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 Lake Winnibigoshish 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 Lake Winnibigoshish, 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.
Lake Winnibigoshish — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Lake Winnibigoshish?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Lake Winnibigoshish's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Lake Winnibigoshish?
Lake Winnibigoshish's full summer pool is 1298.44 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Lake Winnibigoshish?
Lake Winnibigoshish is operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Mississippi River headwaters.
Where is Lake Winnibigoshish located?
Lake Winnibigoshish is in Minnesota, on the Mississippi River headwaters.
Why is Lake Winnibigoshish 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 Lake Winnibigoshish?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Lake Winnibigoshish.
Other lakes near Lake Winnibigoshish
See current levels for all 6 Minnesota lakes and reservoirs →
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