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Lake Chelan at Chelan water level

Lake, Lake Chelan, Washington, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Surface elevation

1,095.31ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

1,093 1,095 1,098 1,100 Highest onrecord 1,100.16 ft

History

History
1,0941,0961,098ftOct 11Oct 12Oct 14Oct 16Oct 171,0941,0961,098ftOct 11Oct 14Oct 17
1,0941,0961,098ftSep 18Sep 25Oct 2Oct 10Oct 171,0941,0961,098ftSep 18Oct 2Oct 17
1,0901,100ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20261,0901,100ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
1,0851,0901,0951,100ftOct 2020Apr 2022Oct 2023Apr 2025Oct 20261,0851,0901,0951,100ftOct 2020Oct 2023Oct 2026
1,0901,100ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20261,0901,100ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Nothing unusual at Lake Chelan at Chelan right now: the lake level of 1,095.31 ft is in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1,096.31 ft, based on 95 years of readings, so the lake level is 1.00 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 1,095.18 ft, a difference of +0.13 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1,095.29 ft and 1,098.50 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 95 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1,096.31 ft1.00 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1,093.21 ft – 1,097.80 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (95 years of records)
Same day last year
1,095.18 ft+0.13 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1,095.29 ft – 1,098.50 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1,089.39 ft – 1,099.50 ft
Highest on record
1,100.16 ftJune 30, 1981

Swimming and boating at Lake Chelan at Chelan

At a normal level, ramps and marinas generally run as usual, and fishing tends to follow the season more than the water level.

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

6,000.00 ft
Flows in excess of 6000cfs may damage the stream restoration work in the Chelan River Gorge downstream of the Chelan Dam.
1,095.31 ft
Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 66° 49° – Wind 17 mph
18 Sun 63° 45° – Wind 8 mph
19 Mon 60° 48° – Wind 8 mph
20 Tue 66° 45° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 66° 43° – Wind 5 mph
22 Thu 67° 46° – Wind 8 mph
23 Fri 63° 42° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:10 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min First quarter 44%

Map

Other gauges on Lake Chelan

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Lake Chelan at Purple Point at StehekinLake, Lake Chelan 1,095.05 ft Highest on record −0.19 ft 42 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Chelan River at ChelanRiver gauge, Chelan River 81.4 cfs Very low −1.2 cfs 2.4 mi
Entiat River near EntiatRiver gauge, Entiat River 6.74 ft Normal ±0 15 mi
Mad River at ArdenvoirRiver gauge, Mad River 2.10 ft Normal ±0 16 mi
Entiat River near ArdenvoirRiver gauge, Entiat River 0.94 ft Low ±0 17 mi
Methow River near PaterosRiver gauge, Methow River 1.59 ft Low ±0 17 mi
Rocky Reach Hw Unit 10W near WenatcheeRiver gauge, Rocky Reach Hw Unit 10W 705.65 ft Normal +0.02 ft 24 mi
Chiwawa River near PlainRiver gauge, Chiwawa River 3.86 ft Low ±0 28 mi
Wenatchee River at PlainRiver gauge, Wenatchee River 1.30 ft Very low ±0 29 mi

Questions and answers

Is Lake Chelan at Chelan higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.13 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1,095.18 ft.

What is a normal level for Lake Chelan at Chelan in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1,096.31 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1,093.21 ft and 1,097.80 ft, based on 95 years of records.

Is Lake Chelan at Chelan really 1,095.31 ft deep?

No. 1,095.31 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 Lake Chelan at Chelan today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 03:15 PM PDT, the surface elevation was 1,095.31 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Lake Chelan at Chelan rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.98 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Lake Chelan at Chelan normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 95 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lake Chelan at Chelan?

The highest level on record is 1,100.16 ft on June 30, 1981.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:12452000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
47.83625, -120.06146 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
local
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 1,095.31 ft 2026-10-17 22:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Lake Chelan at Chelan (usgs:12452000). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/lake-chelan-at-chelan

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.