Lake Conditions
Illustrated map of Lake Norman

Lake levels

Lake Hickory, NC

water level
933.40 ft
Condition
High for this time of year
7-day change
+1.10 ft
Below full
1.60 ft
30-day change
+1.80 ft

Reading as of 2026-10-13 | Duke Energy

Since yesterday
-1.20 ft
7-day change
+1.10 ft
30-day change
+1.80 ft
Below full
1.60 ft
1-year change
+1.20 ft

In brief

Lake Hickory stood at 933.40 feet on Oct 13, 2026, 1.60 feet below its full pool of 935 feet. That is higher than 97% of October readings since 2021.

Source: Duke Energy

Lake level timeline

930.8932.0933.1934.3935.5SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13FULL POOL 935.00 ftLOW 931.30933.40 ft

Records and averages

Current level933.40 ft
Full pool (conservation) 935.00 ft
Record high934.80 ft (2024-09-28)
Record low836.00 ft (2026-07-31)
Average of all readings932.06 ft
Data span4 years (1,827 readings)

Level schematic

832859886912939FULL POOL 935.00 ft933.40 ft1.60 ftbelow full pool

Frequently asked questions

Is Lake Hickory full right now?

As of 2026-10-13, Lake Hickory sits at 933.40 ft, which is high for this time of year. That is 1.60 ft below full pool of 935.00 ft. Over the past 30 days the level has risen 1.80 ft.

What is the water level at Lake Hickory today?

The most recent reading at Lake Hickory is 933.40 ft (2026-10-13), sourced from Duke Energy. Readings on this page refresh automatically as the agency publishes new data.

What is the highest Lake Hickory has ever been?

The highest level for Lake Hickory in our records is 934.80 ft on 2024-09-28. The lowest is 836.00 ft on 2026-07-31. Our record covers about 4 years of readings.

Is Lake Hickory low for this time of year?

Compared with every October in our records, the current level is higher than 97% of them, which we classify as high for this time of year. Seasonal comparison matters more than the raw number, because most reservoirs draw down predictably through late summer and refill over winter and spring.

Why is Lake Hickory changing right now?

Reservoir levels move for four main reasons: rainfall and runoff into the basin, releases through the dam for downstream water supply, power generation or flood control, evaporation during hot months, and seasonal drawdown schedules set by the operating agency. Lake Hickory has risen 1.80 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check Duke Energy directly.

How much has Lake Hickory changed over the past year?

Lake Hickory is +1.20 ft compared with this date last year (933.40 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 4 years, with a record high of 934.80 ft and a record low of 836.00 ft.

Download and cite

Quote this reading

Lake Hickory stood at 933.40 feet on Oct 13, 2026, 1.60 feet below its full pool of 935 feet. That is higher than 97% of October readings since 2021.

From Duke Energy, updated daily. The sentence changes with every new reading, so quote it with its date.

Download the full record

lake-hickory-nc-water-level-history.csv

1,827 readings, Oct 13, 2021 to Oct 13, 2026. Daily readings. Columns: date, water_level_ft. 34 KB.

How to cite

MyWaterLevel, “Lake Hickory water level, 2021 to 2026,” data from Duke Energy, https://mywaterlevel.com/lake/nc/lake-hickory/, accessed Oct 13, 2026.

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Source: Duke Energy. All North Carolina lake levels. Readings are provisional and may be revised. About our data and methods.