History
Lake Mead water level history
Year-end, low and high water surface at Hoover Dam since 1935, from Reclamation's daily record
Data through Oct 15, 2026 · source last checked Oct 17, 2026 · page revised Oct 16, 2026
Cite
- Water level at year end (latest reading for the current year)
About this data
- Source
- US Bureau of Reclamation RISE (Lower Colorado Hydrologic Database)
- Series
- Daily water surface elevation, summarized by calendar year
- Geography
- Lake Mead
- Unit
- feet above sea level
- Calculation
- Year-end reading, plus each year's lowest and highest reading
- Last observation
- Oct 15, 2026
- Update frequency
- Daily
Now 1,037.53 ft (Oct 15, 2026). That is the lowest reading since the lake first filled in July 1941, and the lowest since April 1937, while the reservoir was still filling behind the new Hoover Dam.
| Year | End of year | Change | Low for the year | High for the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (through Oct 15) | 1,037.53 ft | -24.71 ft | 1,037.53 ft (Oct 15) | 1,066.14 ft (Feb 28) |
| 2025 | 1,062.24 ft | -1.05 ft | 1,054.07 ft (Aug 1) | 1,068.52 ft (Feb 24) |
| 2024 | 1,063.29 ft | -4.76 ft | 1,060.83 ft (Nov 27) | 1,076.62 ft (Mar 4) |
| 2023 | 1,068.05 ft | +23.23 ft | 1,044.91 ft (Jan 1) | 1,068.05 ft (Dec 31) |
| 2022 | 1,044.82 ft | -21.57 ft | 1,040.58 ft (Jul 28) | 1,067.26 ft (Jan 25) |
| 2021 | 1,066.39 ft | -17.33 ft | 1,064.91 ft (Dec 2) | 1,087.35 ft (Feb 14) |
| 2020 | 1,083.72 ft | -6.77 ft | 1,081.04 ft (Nov 26) | 1,098.65 ft (Mar 30) |
| 2019 | 1,090.49 ft | +9.03 ft | 1,081.56 ft (Jan 1) | 1,090.49 ft (Dec 31) |
| 2018 | 1,081.46 ft | -1.06 ft | 1,076.38 ft (Jul 11) | 1,088.32 ft (Mar 11) |
| 2017 | 1,082.52 ft | +1.7 ft | 1,078.92 ft (Aug 2) | 1,089.78 ft (Feb 28) |
| 2016 | 1,080.82 ft | -0.09 ft | 1,071.61 ft (Jul 1) | 1,084.37 ft (Feb 17) |
| 2015 | 1,080.91 ft | -6.88 ft | 1,074.71 ft (Jun 26) | 1,089.27 ft (Jan 21) |
| 2014 | 1,087.79 ft | -18.94 ft | 1,080.19 ft (Aug 12) | 1,108.96 ft (Feb 2) |
| 2013 | 1,106.73 ft | -13.63 ft | 1,103.79 ft (Nov 12) | 1,122.68 ft (Feb 4) |
| 2012 | 1,120.36 ft | -12.47 ft | 1,114.98 ft (Nov 20) | 1,134.52 ft (Jan 22) |
| 2011 | 1,132.83 ft | +46.53 ft | 1,086.28 ft (Jan 2) | 1,132.83 ft (Dec 31) |
| 2010 | 1,086.3 ft | -10 ft | 1,081.89 ft (Nov 27) | 1,103.31 ft (Feb 25) |
| 2009 | 1,096.3 ft | -14.67 ft | 1,093.21 ft (Nov 3) | 1,112.63 ft (Jan 25) |
| 2008 | 1,110.97 ft | -3.84 ft | 1,104.42 ft (Jul 31) | 1,117.88 ft (Mar 11) |
| 2007 | 1,114.81 ft | -13.31 ft | 1,110.81 ft (Oct 4) | 1,129.99 ft (Feb 18) |
| 2006 | 1,128.12 ft | -9.4 ft | 1,125.17 ft (Oct 3) | 1,141.31 ft (Feb 26) |
| 2005 | 1,137.52 ft | +7.51 ft | 1,130.11 ft (Jan 1) | 1,147.75 ft (Mar 27) |
| 2004 | 1,130.01 ft | -9.11 ft | 1,125.73 ft (Jul 30) | 1,140.53 ft (Jan 25) |
| 2003 | 1,139.12 ft | -13.01 ft | 1,139.07 ft (Dec 30) | 1,154.58 ft (Mar 9) |
| 2002 | 1,152.13 ft | -25.24 ft | 1,152.13 ft (Dec 31) | 1,178.01 ft (Feb 3) |
| 2001 | 1,177.37 ft | -18.75 ft | 1,177.22 ft (Nov 30) | 1,197.42 ft (Feb 4) |
| 2000 | 1,196.12 ft | -17.82 ft | 1,195.68 ft (Dec 13) | 1,214.41 ft (Feb 6) |
| 1999 | 1,213.94 ft | +1.41 ft | 1,206.4 ft (Jun 30) | 1,213.94 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1998 | 1,212.53 ft | -2.11 ft | 1,211.4 ft (May 29) | 1,215.89 ft (Sep 14) |
| 1997 | 1,214.64 ft | +20.26 ft | 1,194.47 ft (Jan 1) | 1,214.64 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1996 | 1,194.38 ft | +3.46 ft | 1,189.71 ft (Aug 14) | 1,195.04 ft (Apr 4) |
| 1995 | 1,190.92 ft | +14.4 ft | 1,176.58 ft (Jan 1) | 1,190.92 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1994 | 1,176.52 ft | -12.23 ft | 1,175.65 ft (Dec 1) | 1,190.98 ft (Feb 27) |
| 1993 | 1,188.75 ft | +11.89 ft | 1,176.9 ft (Jan 1) | 1,193.75 ft (Apr 12) |
| 1992 | 1,176.86 ft | +3.42 ft | 1,173.39 ft (Aug 21) | 1,180.55 ft (Mar 24) |
| 1991 | 1,173.44 ft | -4.45 ft | 1,171.65 ft (Nov 6) | 1,180.19 ft (Feb 24) |
| 1990 | 1,177.89 ft | -11.91 ft | 1,177.89 ft (Dec 21) | 1,191.84 ft (Mar 5) |
| 1989 | 1,189.8 ft | -9.95 ft | 1,189.01 ft (Dec 13) | 1,202.55 ft (Feb 26) |
| 1988 | 1,199.75 ft | -11.28 ft | 1,198.94 ft (Nov 9) | 1,211.82 ft (Feb 28) |
| 1987 | 1,211.03 ft | +0.64 ft | 1,205.6 ft (Jun 17) | 1,211.13 ft (Dec 20) |
| 1986 | 1,210.39 ft | +4.9 ft | 1,201.42 ft (Jan 24) | 1,210.72 ft (Dec 15) |
| 1985 | 1,205.49 ft | -2.41 ft | 1,205.49 ft (Dec 31) | 1,214.35 ft (Jul 7) |
| 1984 | 1,207.9 ft | -4.43 ft | 1,205.73 ft (May 4) | 1,213.71 ft (Jul 23) |
| 1983 | 1,212.33 ft | +3.96 ft | 1,206.83 ft (Jan 31) | 1,225.83 ft (Jul 24) |
| 1982 | 1,208.37 ft | +10.09 ft | 1,196.25 ft (Aug 5) | 1,208.37 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1981 | 1,198.28 ft | -4.6 ft | 1,192.45 ft (Sep 11) | 1,204.74 ft (Feb 16) |
| 1980 | 1,202.88 ft | +4.91 ft | 1,197.64 ft (Jan 4) | 1,205.03 ft (Sep 21) |
| 1979 | 1,197.97 ft | +4.66 ft | 1,193.42 ft (Jan 1) | 1,202.8 ft (Feb 25) |
| 1978 | 1,193.31 ft | +12.49 ft | 1,181.05 ft (Jan 1) | 1,193.31 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1977 | 1,180.82 ft | -7.05 ft | 1,175.34 ft (Jul 31) | 1,193.79 ft (Feb 6) |
| 1976 | 1,187.87 ft | +8.24 ft | 1,177.61 ft (Sep 9) | 1,188.18 ft (Dec 26) |
| 1975 | 1,179.63 ft | +2.83 ft | 1,173.63 ft (May 29) | 1,181.02 ft (Oct 13) |
| 1974 | 1,176.8 ft | -0.12 ft | 1,168.82 ft (Jun 14) | 1,180.22 ft (Feb 3) |
| 1973 | 1,176.92 ft | +8.57 ft | 1,168.58 ft (Jan 1) | 1,186.98 ft (May 6) |
| 1972 | 1,168.35 ft | +8.22 ft | 1,153.97 ft (May 25) | 1,168.35 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1971 | 1,160.13 ft | +7.18 ft | 1,148.05 ft (Apr 2) | 1,160.13 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1970 | 1,152.95 ft | +0.45 ft | 1,150.39 ft (Apr 24) | 1,154.14 ft (Jan 19) |
| 1969 | 1,152.5 ft | +12.85 ft | 1,139.38 ft (Jan 16) | 1,152.5 ft (Dec 30) |
| 1968 | 1,139.65 ft | +9.81 ft | 1,129.92 ft (Jan 1) | 1,139.65 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1967 | 1,129.84 ft | -2.21 ft | 1,127.71 ft (Nov 30) | 1,133.83 ft (Feb 19) |
| 1966 | 1,132.05 ft | +2.31 ft | 1,127.18 ft (Sep 17) | 1,133.84 ft (Feb 19) |
| 1965 | 1,129.74 ft | +41.6 ft | 1,088.07 ft (Apr 3) | 1,129.74 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1964 | 1,088.14 ft | -48.79 ft | 1,088.09 ft (Dec 30) | 1,136.88 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1963 | 1,136.93 ft | -56.26 ft | 1,136.93 ft (Dec 31) | 1,193.19 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1962 | 1,193.19 ft | +38.56 ft | 1,153.16 ft (Feb 9) | 1,204.2 ft (Jul 23) |
| 1961 | 1,154.63 ft | -10.56 ft | 1,152.79 ft (May 18) | 1,165.18 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1960 | 1,165.19 ft | -1.94 ft | 1,162.97 ft (Mar 11) | 1,184.16 ft (Jul 5) |
| 1959 | 1,167.13 ft | -18.78 ft | 1,167.13 ft (Dec 31) | 1,185.87 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1958 | 1,185.91 ft | +8.36 ft | 1,161 ft (Apr 19) | 1,205.89 ft (Jul 6) |
| 1957 | 1,177.55 ft | +80.27 ft | 1,089.5 ft (Apr 19) | 1,189.48 ft (Dec 1) |
| 1956 | 1,097.28 ft | +6.24 ft | 1,083.23 ft (Apr 25) | 1,116.82 ft (Jul 8) |
| 1955 | 1,091.04 ft | -14.44 ft | 1,089.39 ft (Apr 22) | 1,106.59 ft (Jul 7) |
| 1954 | 1,105.48 ft | -40.3 ft | 1,105.48 ft (Dec 31) | 1,145.74 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1953 | 1,145.78 ft | -23.35 ft | 1,145.78 ft (Dec 31) | 1,168.96 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1952 | 1,169.13 ft | +16.01 ft | 1,133.24 ft (Apr 5) | 1,201.1 ft (Jul 16) |
| 1951 | 1,153.12 ft | -3.5 ft | 1,141.19 ft (May 11) | 1,168.97 ft (Aug 12) |
| 1950 | 1,156.62 ft | -13.5 ft | 1,149.95 ft (Apr 13) | 1,177.54 ft (Jul 24) |
| 1949 | 1,170.12 ft | +5.12 ft | 1,145.49 ft (Apr 15) | 1,196.61 ft (Jul 31) |
| 1948 | 1,165 ft | -5.58 ft | 1,154.46 ft (Mar 30) | 1,192.79 ft (Jul 11) |
| 1947 | 1,170.58 ft | +22.05 ft | 1,133.91 ft (Apr 25) | 1,180.24 ft (Sep 2) |
| 1946 | 1,148.53 ft | -14.83 ft | 1,146.52 ft (Apr 19) | 1,164.3 ft (Jul 7) |
| 1945 | 1,163.36 ft | -4.64 ft | 1,146.54 ft (Apr 26) | 1,182.49 ft (Aug 20) |
| 1944 | 1,168 ft | -10.33 ft | 1,157.19 ft (Apr 8) | 1,200.35 ft (Jul 18) |
| 1943 | 1,178.33 ft | -10.17 ft | 1,176.71 ft (Apr 5) | 1,202.41 ft (Jul 13) |
| 1942 | 1,188.5 ft | -7.29 ft | 1,171.04 ft (Mar 27) | 1,213.44 ft (Jul 8) |
| 1941 | 1,195.79 ft | +27.73 ft | 1,166.74 ft (Feb 15) | 1,220.44 ft (Jul 29) |
| 1940 | 1,168.06 ft | -1.87 ft | 1,164.21 ft (Apr 5) | 1,182.21 ft (Jul 3) |
| 1939 | 1,169.93 ft | +1.26 ft | 1,156.09 ft (Mar 17) | 1,183.47 ft (Jun 30) |
| 1938 | 1,168.67 ft | +72.92 ft | 1,094.63 ft (Feb 16) | 1,173.88 ft (Sep 24) |
| 1937 | 1,095.75 ft | +72.4 ft | 1,021.9 ft (Feb 5) | 1,102.88 ft (Jul 28) |
| 1936 | 1,023.35 ft | +114.95 ft | 905.2 ft (Apr 14) | 1,025.85 ft (Sep 10) |
| 1935 (from Feb 2) | 908.4 ft | – | 670 ft (Feb 2) | 928.45 ft (Jul 31) |
| Milestone | Level |
|---|---|
| Record begins | 670 ft (Feb 2, 1935) |
| First reached full pool | July 1941 (high 1,220.44 ft on Jul 29, 1941) |
| Record high | 1,225.83 ft (Jul 24, 1983) |
| Last month at full pool | September 1983 |
| Lowest since first filling in 1941 | 1,037.53 ft (Oct 15, 2026) |
| Latest reading | 1,037.53 ft (Oct 15, 2026) |
Download the full series (CSV) ↓
About this record
Lake Mead's water level was 1,037.53 feet above sea level on Oct 15, 2026, 182.07 feet below full pool (1,219.6 feet). That is the lowest reading since the lake first filled in July 1941, and the lowest since April 1937, while the reservoir was still filling behind the new Hoover Dam.
Each row of the table summarizes Reclamation's daily reading of the water surface at Hoover Dam for one calendar year: the level on Dec 31, the change from the year before, and the year's lowest and highest readings with their dates. The record begins on Feb 2, 1935, when the reservoir had just begun to fill, and has a reading for every day since. The 2026 row runs through Oct 15, 2026 and will close at the year's final reading. Completed years come from the full record in Reclamation's RISE database; the current year is read from the same daily series behind Lake Mead water level, which carries the latest daily reading with storage in acre-feet.
Lake Mead water level by year walks through the eras in this record: the first fill, the drawdown while Lake Powell filled in the 1960s, the 1983 high and the decline since 2000.