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Carter Lake Reservoir water level

Reservoir, Colorado, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Surface elevation

5,709.31ft Down 3.11 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
60,580 acre‑ft
5,700 5,725

History

History
5,6805,7005,7205,740ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 15Oct 16Oct 175,6805,7005,7205,740ftOct 13Oct 15Oct 17
5,6805,7005,7205,740ftSep 20Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 175,6805,7005,7205,740ftSep 20Oct 3Oct 17
5,7005,750ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20265,7005,750ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
5,7005,7255,750ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20265,7005,7255,750ftOct 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
5,7005,750ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20265,7005,750ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The lake level at Carter Lake Reservoir reads 5,709.31 ft, about where it usually sits at this time of year.

That puts it 0.01 ft below the median of 5,709.32 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5,715.01 ft (−5.70 ft).

It is still going down, by 3.11 ft over the past week. The 30-day range is 5,709.31 ft – 5,720.40 ft.

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

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
5,709.32 ft0.01 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
5,682.64 ft – 5,735.48 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year
5,715.01 ft−5.70 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
5,709.31 ft – 5,720.40 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
5,708.82 ft – 5,757.77 ft

Boating and fishing at Carter Lake Reservoir

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 72° 50° – Wind 14 mph
19 Mon 62° 38° – Wind 8 mph
20 Tue 69° 47° – Wind 8 mph
21 Wed 72° 51° – Wind 11 mph
22 Thu 70° 51° – Wind 7 mph
23 Fri 74° 49° 0.15 in, 24% Wind 10 mph
24 Sat 49° 46° 0.59 in, 30% Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:16 AM Sunset 06:16 PM Daylight 11 hr First quarter 54%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Flatiron ReservoirReservoir 5,467.74 ft Normal 3.1 mi
Pinewood Reservoir and RattlesnakeReservoir 6,561.57 ft Low 5.0 mi
Big Thompson River at LovelandRiver gauge, Big Thompson River 0.67 ft Below flood stage −0.23 ft 9 mi
Left Hand Creek at Hover Road near LongmontRiver gauge, Left Hand Creek 0.7 cfs Very low −0.1 cfs 14 mi
Lake Estes and OlympusLake 7,471.29 ft Normal 15 mi
St Vrain Creek below Boulder Creek at Highway 119 near LongmontRiver gauge, St Vrain Creek 9.70 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 16 mi
Boulder Creek at Mouth near LongmontRiver gauge, Boulder Creek 2.0 cfs Low −1.3 cfs 16 mi
Marys LakeLake 8,026.37 ft Very low 17 mi

Questions and answers

How does Carter Lake Reservoir compare with last year?

It is 5.70 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5,715.01 ft.

What is a normal level for Carter Lake Reservoir in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5,709.32 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5,682.64 ft and 5,735.48 ft, based on 33 years of records.

Is Carter Lake Reservoir really 5,709.31 ft deep?

No. 5,709.31 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 Carter Lake Reservoir today?

On Oct 17, 2026, the surface elevation was 5,709.31 ft. Down 3.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Carter Lake Reservoir rising or falling?

Down 3.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Carter Lake Reservoir normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 33 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:288 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.32420, -105.21190 (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 5,709.31 ft 2026-10-17 06:00 Provisional
Water stored 60,580 acre‑ft 2026-10-17 06:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Carter Lake Reservoir (usbr:288). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/carter-lake-reservoir

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.