Clear Lake at Clear Lake water level
Lake, Clear Lake, Iowa, United States
Right now
High for mid-October
Water level
History
202120222023202420252026
What this means
There is plenty of water in Clear Lake at Clear Lake: 4.63 ft, above normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 4.04 ft, based on 7 years of readings, so the lake level is 0.59 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 4.62 ft, a difference of +0.01 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.61 ft and 4.77 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 7 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.04 ft0.59 ft above the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.57 ft – 4.63 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 4.62 ft+0.01 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.61 ft – 4.77 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.43 ft – 5.25 ft
- Highest on record
- 5.99 ftJune 13, 2008
Swimming and boating at Clear Lake at Clear Lake
A little more water than usual mostly means narrower beaches. Ramps and docks generally work as normal, but watch for floating debris after storms.
If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.99 ft | June 13, 2008 |
| 2 | 5.94 ft | July 3, 1951 |
| 3 | 5.58 ft | May 22, 1999 |
| 4 | 5.55 ft | April 12, 2001 |
| 5 | 5.48 ft | July 6, 2004 |
| 6 | 5.41 ft | June 23, 1998 |
| 7 | 5.36 ft | April 3, 2007 |
| 8 | 5.28 ft | August 17, 2002 |
| 9 | 5.27 ft | May 11, 2003 |
| 10 | 5.27 ft | May 2, 2006 |
Weather at the gauge
Rain in the last 3 days: 0.90 in.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago River at Mason CityRiver gauge, Winnebago River | 5.61 ft | Below flood stage | +0.05 ft | 10 mi |
| Iowa River near RowanRiver gauge, Iowa River | 4.36 ft | Below flood stage | −0.03 ft | 28 mi |
| Deer Creek near CarpenterRiver gauge, Deer Creek | 79.06 ft | Below flood stage | −0.17 ft | 28 mi |
| Cedar River at Charles CityRiver gauge, Cedar River | 4.07 ft | Below flood stage | +0.06 ft | 36 mi |
| Boone River near GoldfieldRiver gauge, Boone River | 166 cfs | Normal | −4.0 cfs | 40 mi |
| Cedar River near AustinRiver gauge, Cedar River | 4.23 ft | Below flood stage | −0.12 ft | 41 mi |
| South Fork Iowa River near BlairsburgRiver gauge, South Fork Iowa River | 5.58 ft | Very high | −0.28 ft | 41 mi |
| East Fork Des Moines River at Dakota CityRiver gauge, East Fork Des Moines River | 9.42 ft | Below flood stage | +0.14 ft | 49 mi |
Questions and answers
Is Clear Lake at Clear Lake higher than last year?
Yes, it is 0.01 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.62 ft.
What is a normal level for Clear Lake at Clear Lake in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.04 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.57 ft and 4.63 ft, based on 7 years of records.
What is the water level of Clear Lake at Clear Lake today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 06:00 PM CDT, the water level was 4.63 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Clear Lake at Clear Lake rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Clear Lake at Clear Lake normal?
High for mid-October. Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Clear Lake at Clear Lake?
The highest level on record is 5.99 ft on June 13, 2008.
How often is this data updated?
The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:05460000(Agency page)- Coordinates
43.12431, -93.38397(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NAVD88
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 4.63 ft | 2026-10-18 23:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Clear Lake at Clear Lake (usgs:05460000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/iowa/clear-lake-at-clear-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.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer