Lake Conditions
Illustrated map of Cowlitz River at Randle

Lake levels

Lake Chelan, WA

water level
1095.77 ft
Condition
About average for this time of year
7-day change
-0.95 ft
30-day change
-2.62 ft
1-year change
+0.19 ft

Reading as of 2026-10-12 | the U.S. Geological Survey

Since yesterday
-0.17 ft
7-day change
-0.95 ft
30-day change
-2.62 ft
1-year change
+0.19 ft
Record high
1099.56 ft

In brief

Lake Chelan stood at 1,095.77 feet on Oct 12, 2026. That is lower than 52% of October readings since 2018.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Lake level timeline

1095.41096.21097.11097.91098.8SEP 12SEP 17SEP 22SEP 27OCT 02OCT 07OCT 12HIGH 1098.391095.77 ft

Records and averages

Current level1095.77 ft
Record high1099.56 ft (2020-07-21)
Record low1084.45 ft (2019-03-21)
Average of all readings1093.37 ft
Data span8 years (2,960 readings)

Level schematic

1,083.81,087.91,092.01,096.11,100.2PUBLISHED HIGH 1,099.56 ft1,095.77 ftPUBLISHED LOW 1,084.45 ft

Trout stocking on Lake Chelan

WDFW stocked Lake Chelan 5 times in 2026, 13,950 fish in total. Rainbow and Cutthroat at Legals and Fry.

SpeciesFish SizeWhen
Rainbow 3,750 Legals September 2026
Rainbow 3,250 Legals September 2026
Cutthroat 600 Fry September 2026
Cutthroat 2,100 Fry September 2026
Rainbow 4,250 Legals September 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 Lake Chelan full right now?

As of 2026-10-12, Lake Chelan sits at 1095.77 ft, which is about average for this time of year. Over the past 30 days the level has fallen 2.62 ft.

What is the water level at Lake Chelan today?

The most recent reading at Lake Chelan is 1095.77 ft (2026-10-12), sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings on this page refresh automatically as the agency publishes new data.

What is the highest Lake Chelan has ever been?

The highest level for Lake Chelan in our records is 1099.56 ft on 2020-07-21. The lowest is 1084.45 ft on 2019-03-21. Our record covers about 8 years of readings.

Is Lake Chelan low for this time of year?

Compared with every October in our records, the current level is higher than 48% of them, which we classify as about 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 Lake Chelan low 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 Chelan has fallen 2.62 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check the U.S. Geological Survey directly.

How much has Lake Chelan changed over the past year?

Lake Chelan is +0.19 ft compared with this date last year (1095.77 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 8 years, with a record high of 1099.56 ft and a record low of 1084.45 ft.

Download and cite

Quote this reading

Lake Chelan stood at 1,095.77 feet on Oct 12, 2026. That is lower than 52% of October readings since 2018.

From the U.S. Geological Survey, updated daily. The sentence changes with every new reading, so quote it with its date.

Download the full record

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

2,960 readings, Sep 5, 2018 to Oct 12, 2026. Daily readings. Columns: date, water_level_ft. 58 KB.

How to cite

MyWaterLevel, “Lake Chelan water level, 2018 to 2026,” data from U.S. Geological Survey, https://mywaterlevel.com/lake/wa/lake-chelan/, accessed Oct 13, 2026.

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