Nivelmap
EN

Lake Chelan at Chelan water level

Lake, Lake Chelan, Washington, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Surface elevation

1,095.39ft Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours

1,095 1,098 1,100 Highest onrecord 1,100.16 ft
Surface elevation: 1,095.39 ft. Normal for mid-October.

History

History
1,0951,0961,097ftOct 10Oct 11Oct 13Oct 15Oct 161,0951,0961,097ftOct 10Oct 13Oct 16
1,0961,098ftSep 17Sep 24Oct 1Oct 9Oct 161,0961,098ftSep 17Oct 1Oct 16
1,0851,0901,0951,100ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20261,0851,0901,0951,100ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
1,0851,0901,0951,100ftOct 2020Apr 2022Oct 2023Apr 2025Oct 20261,0851,0901,0951,100ftOct 2020Oct 2023Oct 2026
1,0851,0901,0951,100ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20261,0851,0901,0951,100ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Nothing unusual at Lake Chelan at Chelan right now: the lake level of 1,095.39 ft is in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1,095.70 ft, based on 7 years of readings, so the lake level is 0.31 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 1,095.29 ft, a difference of +0.10 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.19 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1,095.39 ft and 1,098.51 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
1,095.70 ft0.31 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1,094.86 ft – 1,096.44 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Same day last year
1,095.29 ft+0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1,095.39 ft – 1,098.51 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1,089.39 ft – 1,099.50 ft
Highest on record
1,100.16 ftJune 30, 1981

Swimming and boating at Lake Chelan at Chelan

At a normal level, ramps and marinas generally run as usual, and fishing tends to follow the season more than the water level.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

What happens at each level

6,000.00 ft
Flows in excess of 6000cfs may damage the stream restoration work in the Chelan River Gorge downstream of the Chelan Dam.
1,095.39 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 06:11 PM Daylight 10h 50m First quarter 34 %

Map

Other gauges on the Lake Chelan

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Lake Chelan at Purple Point at StehekinLake, Lake Chelan 1,095.25 ft Highest on record −0.11 ft 42 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Chelan River at ChelanRiver gauge, Chelan River 82.6 cfs Very low 2.4 mi
Entiat River near EntiatRiver gauge, Entiat River 6.74 ft Normal 0.00 ft 15 mi
Mad River at ArdenvoirRiver gauge, Mad River 2.11 ft Normal +0.01 ft 16 mi
Entiat River near ArdenvoirRiver gauge, Entiat River 0.95 ft Low 0.00 ft 17 mi
Methow River near PaterosRiver gauge, Methow River 1.59 ft Low +0.01 ft 17 mi
Chiwawa River near PlainRiver gauge, Chiwawa River 3.86 ft Low 0.00 ft 28 mi
Wenatchee River at PlainRiver gauge, Wenatchee River 1.30 ft Very low 29 mi
Wenatchee River at MonitorRiver gauge, Wenatchee River 16.88 ft Low −0.01 ft 29 mi

Questions and answers

Is Lake Chelan at Chelan higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.10 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1,095.29 ft.

How high and low has Lake Chelan at Chelan been?

The highest reading on record is 1,100.16 ft (June 30, 1981).

How often is Lake Chelan at Chelan updated?

Several times an hour. New readings from U.S. Geological Survey appear here as they arrive. Latest: Oct 16, 2026, 02:15 PM PDT.

What is the water level of Lake Chelan at Chelan today?

On Oct 16, 2026, 02:15 PM PDT, the surface elevation was 1,095.39 ft. Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Lake Chelan at Chelan rising or falling?

Down 0.19 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Lake Chelan at Chelan normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lake Chelan at Chelan?

The highest level on record is 1,100.16 ft on June 30, 1981.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:12452000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
47.83625, -120.06146 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
local
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation elevation 1,095.39 ft 2026-10-16 21:15 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. Geological Survey: Lake Chelan at Chelan (usgs:12452000). Accessed October 16, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/lake-chelan-at-chelan

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.