Nivelmap
EN

How to read levelsSources and methods

North America

Western Europe

Central Europe

Mediterranean

Nordic countries

Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf water level

Reservoir, Colorado, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Surface elevation

9,833.34ft Down 0.16 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
70,047 acre‑ft
9,830 9,840 9,850 9,860

History

9,8409,8509,860ftOct 14Oct 15Oct 16Oct 17Oct 189,8409,8509,860ftOct 14Oct 16Oct 18
9,8309,8409,8509,860ftSep 21Sep 27Oct 4Oct 11Oct 189,8309,8409,8509,860ftSep 21Oct 4Oct 18
9,8209,8409,860ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20269,8209,8409,860ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
9,8209,8409,860ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20269,8209,8409,860ftOct 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
9,8209,8409,860ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20269,8209,8409,860ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Water is short at Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf: the latest reading of 9,833.34 ft is far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 26.40 ft below the median of 9,859.74 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 9,844.57 ft (−11.23 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.16 ft over the past week. With the water still dropping, the shoreline keeps moving out. The 30-day range is 9,832.57 ft – 9,837.59 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date
9,859.74 ft26.40 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
9,838.86 ft – 9,865.57 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
9,844.57 ft−11.23 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
9,832.57 ft – 9,837.59 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
9,832.57 ft – 9,848.41 ft

Boating and fishing at Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf

At low levels, launching can mean a long walk or a closed ramp, and shallow points stick out further than charts suggest.

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.

19 Mon 51° 30° 0.02 in, 23% Wind 11 mph
20 Tue 51° 32° – Wind 9 mph
21 Wed 55° 32° 0.05 in, 68% Wind 12 mph
22 Thu 46° 37° 0.54 in, 86% Wind 5 mph
23 Fri 51° 33° 0.07 in, 86% Wind 17 mph
24 Sat 51° 31° – Wind 4 mph
25 Sun 53° 31° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 11 hr Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Arkansas River near LeadvilleRiver gauge, Arkansas River 4.41 ft Below flood stage +0.03 ft 1.4 mi
Ef Arkansas River at Us Highway 24, near LeadvilleRiver gauge, Ef Arkansas River 13.5 cfs Very low +1.6 cfs 3.9 mi
Mount Elbert Forebay ReservoirReservoir 9,613.32 ft Very low 10 mi
Missouri Creek near Gold ParkRiver gauge, Missouri Creek 1.2 cfs Low +0.1 cfs 11 mi
Homestake Creek at Gold ParkRiver gauge, Homestake Creek 6.7 cfs Low +0.6 cfs 11 mi
Twin Lakes ReservoirReservoir 9,186.15 ft Low 12 mi
East Fork Eagle River near ClimaxRiver gauge, East Fork Eagle River 1.0 cfs Normal +0.1 cfs 13 mi
Roaring Fork River above Lost Man Creek near AspenRiver gauge, Roaring Fork River 3.7 cfs High ±0 16 mi

Questions and answers

How does Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf compare with last year?

It is 11.23 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 9,844.57 ft.

What is a normal level for Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 9,859.74 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 9,838.86 ft and 9,865.57 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf really 9,833.34 ft deep?

No. 9,833.34 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 Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf today?

On Oct 18, 2026, the surface elevation was 9,833.34 ft. Down 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf rising or falling?

Down 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf normal?

Very low 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:498 (Agency page)
Coordinates
39.25280, -106.37420 (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 9,833.34 ft 2026-10-18 06:00 Provisional
Water stored 70,047 acre‑ft 2026-10-18 06:00 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Turquoise Lake and Sugar Loaf (usbr:498). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/turquoise-lake-and-sugar-loaf

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.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer