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Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca water level

Lake, Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake), New York, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Surface elevation

381.94ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

383 385 Highest onrecord 386.46 ft Minor floodstage 383.50 ft

History

382383ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 19Minor flood stage382383ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19Minor flood stage
382383ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19Minor flood stage382383ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19Minor flood stage
378380382ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage378380382ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
378380382384ftOct 2020Apr 2022Oct 2023Apr 2025Oct 2026Minor flood stage378380382384ftOct 2020Oct 2023Oct 2026Minor flood stage
378380382384ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026378380382384ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

There is plenty of water in Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca: 381.94 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 381.68 ft, based on 7 years of readings, so the lake level is 0.26 ft above typical. It is 1.56 ft below the flood stage of 383.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 381.64 ft, a difference of +0.30 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 381.77 ft and 382.19 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
381.68 ft0.26 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
381.41 ft – 381.84 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Same day last year
381.64 ft+0.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
381.77 ft – 382.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
378.05 ft – 383.54 ft
Highest on record
386.46 ftApril 26, 1993

Swimming and boating at Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca

High water can flood ramps, parking areas and shoreline campsites, and it carries floating debris. Expect some no-wake zones to be extended.

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

386.50 ft
This is the approximate level during the April 1993 record snowmelt flood.
386.30 ft
This is approximately the lake level during the June 1972 Hurricane Agnes major flood.
385.00 ft
Significant flooding occurs around the lake. This level is approximately the same as the April 1916 and March 1936 floods. Wind waves will cause unusual land erosion and damage docks.
384.00 ft
Water will affect some properties along the lake shore in the towns of Ulysses, Trumansburg and Lansing. No homes are flooded at this level. Parks near the lake may flood. Wind waves may cause unusual land erosion and damage docks.
383.50 ft
The lake level is high enough to flood normally dry areas along the shoreline and may affect some paths, or roads nearest the shore.
381.94 ft
Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.10 in.

19 Mon 68° 38° – Wind 7 mph
20 Tue 63° 42° – Wind 11 mph
21 Wed 61° 38° – Wind 6 mph
22 Thu 61° 36° – Wind 11 mph
23 Fri 58° 39° – Wind 8 mph
24 Sat 59° 35° – Wind 8 mph
25 Sun 62° 36° – Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:19 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 62%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cayuga Inlet at IthacaRiver gauge, Cayuga Inlet 18.9 cfs Normal −1.2 cfs 1.4 mi
Fall Creek near IthacaRiver gauge, Fall Creek 0.77 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 2.1 mi
Sixmile Creek at Bethel GroveRiver gauge, Sixmile Creek 21.8 cfs Normal −2.0 cfs 4.9 mi
Salmon Creek near LudlowvilleRiver gauge, Salmon Creek 19.7 cfs Normal −3.6 cfs 7 mi
Catharine Creek at Montour FallsRiver gauge, Catharine Creek 17.9 cfs Normal −2.0 cfs 19 mi
Owasco Inlet below Aurora Street at MoraviaRiver gauge, Owasco Inlet 3.82 ft Below flood stage −0.06 ft 19 mi
Tioughnioga River at CortlandRiver gauge, Tioughnioga River 3.06 ft Below flood stage −0.06 ft 21 mi
Grout Brook near Fair HavenRiver gauge, Grout Brook 6.3 cfs Normal ±0 24 mi

Questions and answers

Is Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.30 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 381.64 ft.

What is a normal level for Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 381.68 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 381.41 ft and 381.84 ft, based on 7 years of records.

Is Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca really 381.94 ft deep?

No. 381.94 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 Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 04:00 PM EDT, the surface elevation was 381.94 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca normal?

Very 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 Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca?

The highest level on record is 386.46 ft on April 26, 1993.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:04233500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
42.44572, -76.51264 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation 381.94 ft 2026-10-19 20:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Cayuga Inlet (Cayuga Lake) at Ithaca (usgs:04233500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-york/cayuga-inlet-cayuga-lake-at-ithaca

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