Grand Lake o' the Cherokees Water Level & Hydrology
Historical elevation trends, inflow, discharge release rates, and benchmark flood comparisons.
Current Elevation
742.77 ft MSL
+0.77 ft vs normal pool Dam Release (Outflow)
967 cfs
Controlled spillway / hydro discharge Reservoir Inflow
880 cfs
Upstream basin river drainage Normal Conservation Pool
742.0 ft
Flood pool: 755.0 ft What Today's Water Level (742.8 ft) Means
Boat Ramps & Navigation
At 742.8 ft MSL, main public concrete ramps remain fully functional with sufficient trailer draft. Boaters should exercise standard vigilance around shallow sandbars when straying outside marked navigation channels.
Private Docks & Shorelines
Water line is situated 0.8 ft above normal conservation pool. Floating docks and gangways are operating at optimal gangway slope without mud grounding.
Reservoir Pool Benchmarks & Historical Records
| Pool Benchmark | Elevation (ft MSL) | Difference from Current | Notes / Historical Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Level (Today) | 742.77 ft | — | Live observation from Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) |
| Normal Conservation Pool | 742.00 ft | +0.77 ft | Target design storage pool for recreation & water supply |
| Flood Control Pool (Top of Gates) | 755.00 ft | 12.23 ft remaining capacity | Water above this stage triggers emergency spillway discharge |
| Record Historical High | 755.50 ft | 12.73 ft above current | Recorded on 2019-05-24 |
| Record Historical Low | 734.00 ft | 8.77 ft above record | Recorded on 1963-03-01 |
30-Day Daily Water Level History
Official daily snapshots from Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA)
| Date | Elevation (ft MSL) | Daily Change | Inflow (cfs) | Release / Outflow (cfs) | Water Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-18 | 741.47 ft | -0.01 ft | 880 | 967 | 76.4°F |
| 2026-09-17 | 741.48 ft | +0.01 ft | 810 | 909 | 76.3°F |
| 2026-09-16 | 741.47 ft | -0.01 ft | 864 | 844 | 75.9°F |
| 2026-09-15 | 741.48 ft | -0.03 ft | 734 | 944 | 75.9°F |
| 2026-09-14 | 741.51 ft | -0.01 ft | 704 | 890 | 76.3°F |
| 2026-09-13 | 741.52 ft | +0.03 ft | 925 | 894 | 76.2°F |
| 2026-09-12 | 741.49 ft | +0.02 ft | 788 | 891 | 75.3°F |
| 2026-09-11 | 741.47 ft | -0.03 ft | 834 | 919 | 74.6°F |
| 2026-09-10 | 741.50 ft | -0.07 ft | 692 | 906 | 75.1°F |
| 2026-09-09 | 741.57 ft | -0.04 ft | 789 | 845 | 76.2°F |
| 2026-09-08 | 741.61 ft | +0.01 ft | 931 | 974 | 76.7°F |
| 2026-09-07 | 741.60 ft | +0.02 ft | 748 | 871 | 76.3°F |
| 2026-09-06 | 741.58 ft | -0.01 ft | 807 | 840 | 75.7°F |
| 2026-09-05 | 741.59 ft | -0.03 ft | 693 | 1,017 | 75.8°F |
| 2026-09-04 | 741.62 ft | 0.00 ft | 876 | 814 | 76.1°F |
| 2026-09-03 | 741.62 ft | +0.03 ft | 888 | 880 | 75.7°F |
| 2026-09-02 | 741.59 ft | -0.01 ft | 710 | 1,016 | 75°F |
| 2026-09-01 | 741.60 ft | -0.05 ft | 800 | 774 | 74.8°F |
| 2026-08-31 | 741.65 ft | -0.07 ft | 729 | 938 | 75.7°F |
| 2026-08-30 | 741.72 ft | -0.01 ft | 931 | 972 | 76.7°F |
| 2026-08-29 | 741.73 ft | +0.03 ft | 808 | 780 | 76.8°F |
| 2026-08-28 | 741.70 ft | +0.02 ft | 698 | 973 | 76°F |
| 2026-08-27 | 741.68 ft | -0.03 ft | 817 | 916 | 75.4°F |
| 2026-08-26 | 741.71 ft | -0.02 ft | 776 | 826 | 75.6°F |
| 2026-08-25 | 741.73 ft | +0.01 ft | 938 | 962 | 75.9°F |
| 2026-08-24 | 741.72 ft | +0.01 ft | 720 | 886 | 75.5°F |
| 2026-08-23 | 741.71 ft | -0.03 ft | 727 | 880 | 75°F |
| 2026-08-22 | 741.74 ft | -0.06 ft | 845 | 913 | 75.3°F |
| 2026-08-21 | 741.80 ft | -0.05 ft | 811 | 903 | 76.4°F |
| 2026-08-20 | 741.85 ft | +0.02 ft | 899 | 904 | 77°F |
| 2026-08-19 | 741.83 ft | — | 658 | 862 | 76.5°F |