Lake Conditions
Illustrated map of Cowlitz River at Randle

Lake levels

Banks Lake, WA

water level
1568.73 ft
7-day change
-0.07 ft
30-day change
-0.07 ft
1-year change
-0.38 ft
Record high
1569.73 ft

Reading as of 2026-07-21 | the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Since yesterday
-0.07 ft
7-day change
-0.07 ft
30-day change
-0.07 ft
1-year change
-0.38 ft
Record high
1569.73 ft

In brief

Banks Lake's last reported level was 1,568.73 feet, on Jul 21, 2026.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Last 12 months

1563.51565.31567.01568.71570.5JUL 25SEP 25NOV 25JAN 26MAR 26MAY 26JUL 26HIGH 1569.70LOW 1564.301568.73 ftLAST READING

Full history (4 years)

Sampled for legibility. The exact record high and low are in the table below.

1563.01564.91566.81568.71570.62021202220232024202420252026HIGH 1569.73LOW 1563.831568.80 ftLAST READING

Records and averages

Current level1568.73 ft
Record high1569.73 ft (2023-06-30)
Record low1563.24 ft (2024-08-31)
Average of all readings1568.24 ft
Data span4 years (2,000 readings)

Level schematic

1,562.981,564.731,566.491,568.241,569.99PUBLISHED HIGH 1,569.73 ft1,568.73 ftPUBLISHED LOW 1,563.24 ft

Trout stocking on Banks Lake

WDFW stocked Banks Lake 11 times in 2026, 201,200 fish in total. Rainbow at Legals and Fry.

SpeciesFish SizeWhen
Rainbow 1,200 Legals April 2026
Rainbow 4,588 Fry September 2026
Rainbow 25,524 Fry September 2026
Rainbow 7,720 Fry October 2026
Rainbow 23,247 Fry October 2026
Rainbow 25,021 Fry October 2026
Rainbow 25,507 Fry October 2026
Rainbow 25,143 Fry October 2026
Rainbow 25,056 Fry October 2026
Rainbow 13,031 Fry October 2026
Rainbow 25,163 Fry October 2026

WDFW lists a week or a month rather than a date, and counts fish as an estimate. Full Washington stocking schedule →

Frequently asked questions

Is Banks Lake full right now?

As of 2026-07-21, Banks Lake sits at 1568.73 ft, which is below average for this time of year.

What is the water level at Banks Lake on record?

This gauge stopped reporting on 2026-07-21; its final reading was 1568.73 ft, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. It is kept here for the historical record and is not a current level.

What is the highest Banks Lake has ever been?

The highest level for Banks Lake in our records is 1569.73 ft on 2023-06-30. The lowest is 1563.24 ft on 2024-08-31. Our record covers about 4 years of readings.

Is Banks Lake low for this time of year?

Compared with every July in our records, the current level is higher than 27% of them, which we classify as below average 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 Banks Lake 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. Banks Lake has fallen 0.07 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation directly.

How much has Banks Lake changed over the past year?

Banks Lake is -0.38 ft compared with this date last year (1568.73 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 4 years, with a record high of 1569.73 ft and a record low of 1563.24 ft.

Download and cite

Download the full record

banks-lake-wa-water-level-history.csv

2,000 readings, Sep 27, 2021 to Jul 21, 2026. Readings are irregular, not daily. Columns: date, water_level_ft. 39 KB.

How to cite

MyWaterLevel, “Banks Lake water level, 2021 to 2026,” data from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, https://mywaterlevel.com/lake/wa/banks-lake/, accessed Oct 13, 2026.

Source: the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. All Washington lake levels. Readings are provisional and may be revised. About our data and methods.