Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman water level
Reservoir, Oregon, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Surface elevation
- Water stored
- 32,714 acre‑ft
History
202120222023202420252026
What this means
Water is short at Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman: the latest reading of 3,175.51 ft is below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 3,208.37 ft, based on 36 years of readings, so the lake level is 32.86 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 3,206.37 ft, a difference of −30.86 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.31 ft over the past week. With the water still dropping, the shoreline keeps moving out. The 30-day range is 3,175.51 ft – 3,178.57 ft.
Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.
Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3,208.37 ft32.86 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3,171.36 ft – 3,213.10 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3,206.37 ft−30.86 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 3,175.51 ft – 3,178.57 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 3,175.55 ft – 3,219.86 ft
Boating and fishing at Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman
At low levels, launching can mean a long walk or a closed ramp, and shallow points stick out further than charts suggest.
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.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochoco ReservoirReservoir | 3,080.76 ft | Low | 13 mi | |
| Crooked River below Osborne Canyon, near Opal CityRiver gauge, Crooked River | 132 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 31 mi |
| Haystack ReservoirReservoir | 2,832.95 ft | Low | 32 mi | |
| Crooked River below Opal Springs, near CulverRiver gauge, Crooked River | 1,170 cfs | Very low | −40.0 cfs | 36 mi |
| Sf Crooked River near Bell Butte, near PaulinaRiver gauge, Sf Crooked River | 3.89 ft | No reference yet | +0.01 ft | 37 mi |
| Deschutes River near CulverRiver gauge, Deschutes River | 793 cfs | Normal | −37.0 cfs | 38 mi |
| Bridge Creek below Intake, near BendRiver gauge, Bridge Creek | 28.5 cfs | Very high | +17.8 cfs | 39 mi |
| Lake Billy Chinook near CulverLake, Lake Billy Chinook | 1,942.77 ft | No reference yet | −0.06 ft | 39 mi |
Questions and answers
Is Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman higher than last year?
No, it is 30.86 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3,206.37 ft.
What is a normal level for Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3,208.37 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3,171.36 ft and 3,213.10 ft, based on 36 years of records.
Is Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman really 3,175.51 ft deep?
No. 3,175.51 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 Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman today?
On Oct 19, 2026, the surface elevation was 3,175.51 ft. Down 0.31 ft over the last 7 days.
Is Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman rising or falling?
Down 0.31 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman normal?
Low for mid-October. Compared with 36 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:3666(Agency page)- Coordinates
44.11125, -120.78738(WGS84)- Update interval
- once a day
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface elevation | 3,175.51 ft | 2026-10-19 07:00 | Provisional |
| Water stored | 32,714 acre‑ft | 2026-10-19 07:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Prineville Reservoir and Arthur R. Bowman (usbr:3666). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oregon/prineville-reservoir-and-arthur-r-bowman
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