West Okoboji Lake at Lakeside Lab near Milford water level

What this means

At 4.20 ft, West Okoboji Lake at Lakeside Lab near Milford is holding more water than usual for mid-October.

It is 2.30 ft below the flood stage of 6.50 ft. The median for mid-October is 3.67 ft, based on 7 years of readings, so the lake level is 0.53 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 3.97 ft, a difference of +0.23 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.10 ft – 4.30 ft.

Many reservoirs reach their low point of the year in fall, before winter rain and snow start the refill.

Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date

3.67 ft0.53 ft above the median for this date

Normal for this date

3.36 ft – 4.01 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)

Same day last year

3.97 ft+0.23 ft

Lowest and highest in 30 days

4.10 ft – 4.30 ft

Lowest and highest in 12 months

3.82 ft – 4.75 ft

Highest on record

8.66 ftJuly 17, 1993