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Waconda Lake and Glen Elder water level

Reservoir, Kansas, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Surface elevation

1,456.98ft Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
237,212 acre‑ft
1,450 1,453 1,455 1,458

History

1,4501,4521,4541,456ftOct 13Oct 13Oct 14Oct 15Oct 161,4501,4521,4541,456ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16
1,4501,4531,4551,458ftSep 20Sep 26Oct 3Oct 9Oct 161,4501,4531,4551,458ftSep 20Oct 3Oct 16
1,4501,4551,460ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20261,4501,4551,460ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
1,4501,460ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20261,4501,460ftOct 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
1,4501,4551,460ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20261,4501,4551,460ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

There is plenty of water in Waconda Lake and Glen Elder: 1,456.98 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 3.40 ft above the median of 1,453.58 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 1,450.28 ft (+6.70 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.04 ft over the past week. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1,452.92 ft and 1,456.98 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
1,453.58 ft3.40 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1,450.23 ft – 1,456.80 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
1,450.28 ft+6.70 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1,452.92 ft – 1,456.98 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1,450.14 ft – 1,456.98 ft

Swimming and boating at Waconda Lake and Glen Elder

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.

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 1.31 in.

18 Sun 66° 39° – Wind 16 mph
19 Mon 65° 45° – Wind 11 mph
20 Tue 68° 46° 0.02 in Wind 13 mph
21 Wed 76° 56° 0.02 in Wind 11 mph
22 Thu 80° 56° – Wind 14 mph
23 Fri 79° 65° 0.01 in Wind 23 mph
24 Sat 72° 52° 0.27 in, 38% Wind 19 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min First quarter 56%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Solomon River near Glen ElderRiver gauge, Solomon River 7.49 ft Normal −0.09 ft 2.2 mi
Cawker CityReservoir 1,447.96 ft Normal 7 mi
Solomon River at BeloitRiver gauge, Solomon River 2.94 ft Below flood stage −0.08 ft 11 mi
Nf Solomon River at PortisRiver gauge, Nf Solomon River 3.93 ft Normal −0.01 ft 21 mi
Sf Solomon River at OsborneRiver gauge, Sf Solomon River 3.10 ft Low −0.07 ft 21 mi
White Rock Creek near Burr OakRiver gauge, White Rock Creek 1.52 ft Normal +0.02 ft 28 mi
Lovewell ReservoirReservoir 1,580.54 ft High 31 mi
Saline River at LincolnRiver gauge, Saline River 10.39 ft Below flood stage −0.05 ft 33 mi

Questions and answers

How does Waconda Lake and Glen Elder compare with last year?

It is 6.70 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1,450.28 ft.

What is a normal level for Waconda Lake and Glen Elder in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1,453.58 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1,450.23 ft and 1,456.80 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Waconda Lake and Glen Elder really 1,456.98 ft deep?

No. 1,456.98 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 Waconda Lake and Glen Elder today?

On Oct 16, 2026, the surface elevation was 1,456.98 ft. Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Waconda Lake and Glen Elder rising or falling?

Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Waconda Lake and Glen Elder normal?

Very high 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:504 (Agency page)
Coordinates
39.49610, -98.31330 (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 1,456.98 ft 2026-10-16 05:00 Provisional
Water stored 237,212 acre‑ft 2026-10-16 05:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Waconda Lake and Glen Elder (usbr:504). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/kansas/waconda-lake-and-glen-elder

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