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Shadow Mountain Lake water level

Lake, Colorado, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Surface elevation

8,366.66ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
16,902 acre‑ft
8,366.5 8,366.6 8,366.7

History

History
8,366.58,366.68,366.7ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 14Oct 15Oct 178,366.58,366.68,366.7ftOct 12Oct 14Oct 17
8,366.58,366.68,366.7ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 178,366.58,366.68,366.7ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 17
8,366.48,366.68,366.8ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20268,366.48,366.68,366.8ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
8,366.38,366.58,366.88,367.0ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20268,366.38,366.58,366.88,367.0ftNov 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
8,366.28,366.48,366.68,366.8ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20268,366.28,366.48,366.68,366.8ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The lake level at Shadow Mountain Lake reads 8,366.66 ft, about where it usually sits at this time of year.

The median for mid-October is 8,366.67 ft, based on 36 years of readings, so the lake level is 0.01 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 8,366.54 ft, a difference of +0.12 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past week. The 30-day range is 8,366.59 ft – 8,366.74 ft.

Lakes and reservoirs often sit lower in fall after a summer of evaporation and use, and recover with winter rain and spring snowmelt.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
8,366.67 ft0.01 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
8,366.49 ft – 8,366.75 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
8,366.54 ft+0.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
8,366.59 ft – 8,366.74 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
8,366.33 ft – 8,366.88 ft

Boating and fishing at Shadow Mountain Lake

A lake in its usual range is what most ramps, docks and swimming areas are built for.

Conditions at the shore change with the level, so check with the agency that runs the lake before a trip.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 60° 25° – Wind 9 mph
19 Mon 58° 37° 0.07 in Wind 15 mph
20 Tue 60° 38° 0.01 in Wind 9 mph
21 Wed 61° 39° – Wind 10 mph
22 Thu 60° 41° 0.00 in, 47% Wind 7 mph
23 Fri 62° 42° 0.07 in, 57% Wind 11 mph
24 Sat 52° 33° 0.02 in, 56% Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:18 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 53%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Colorado River below Shadow Mountain ReservoirRiver gauge, Colorado River 37.2 cfs Normal ±0 0.3 mi
Lake GranbyLake 8,235.17 ft Very low 2.3 mi
Grand LakeLake 8,366.61 ft High 3.2 mi
Colorado River below Lake GranbyRiver gauge, Colorado River 23.0 cfs High ±0 4.6 mi
Willow Creek ReservoirReservoir 8,116.85 ft Low 7 mi
Willow Creek below Willow Creek ReservoirRiver gauge, Willow Creek 2.46 ft Below flood stage +0.11 ft 7 mi
Colorado River below Baker Gulch near Grand LakeRiver gauge, Colorado River 4.09 ft Below flood stage ±0 8 mi
Andrews Creek-Loch Vale-RmnpRiver gauge 0.8 cfs Normal ±0 11 mi

Questions and answers

Is Shadow Mountain Lake higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.12 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8,366.54 ft.

What is a normal level for Shadow Mountain Lake in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 8,366.67 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 8,366.49 ft and 8,366.75 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Shadow Mountain Lake really 8,366.66 ft deep?

No. 8,366.66 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Shadow Mountain Lake today?

On Oct 17, 2026, the surface elevation was 8,366.66 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Shadow Mountain Lake rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Shadow Mountain Lake normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation publishes a new reading once a day. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Station code
usbr:473 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.20720, -105.84170 (WGS84)
Update interval
once a day
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation 8,366.66 ft 2026-10-17 06:00 Provisional
Water stored 16,902 acre‑ft 2026-10-17 06:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Shadow Mountain Lake (usbr:473). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/shadow-mountain-lake

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.