541.45 ft NGVD29
level 5.5 ft above full pool — this gauge's public record is too short for seasonal comparisons
Reading comes straight from U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (USGS gauge 03374498) and updates live when you load this page.
This year vs the years that matter
This year's trace against last year and the driest and wettest years on record — the drought-context question every lake regular asks.
- 2025 (wettest on record)
- 2024 (driest on record)
- 2026 (this year)
Full pool, datum, and the gauge
"Full pool" here means the conservation pool — the level the lake is designed to hold for water supply and recreation, not the flood-control space above it. The full explainer covers flood pool and dead pool too.
| Full pool | 536.00 ft NGVD29 · per USACE Louisville District / Indiana DNR full-pool reference |
|---|---|
| Conservation capacity | 178,730 acre-feet · per USACE Louisville District / Indiana DNR capacity reference |
| Gauge | USGS gauge 03374498 · U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System |
| Datum | NGVD29 — Top of normal pool 536.0 NGVD29 (winter drawdown target 532.0; flood pool to 548). Reading ~5.4 ft above normal pool on pull date - within flood-storage range, sanity ok. |
| Last verified | August 15, 2026 |
LakeDates reports lake level, not ramp status. Whether a given ramp or marina is usable at this level varies ramp by ramp — call the marina before you tow.
Quick answers
How full is Patoka Lake right now?
Patoka Lake is at 541.45 ft (NGVD29) as of August 14, 2026 — 5.5 ft above full pool — this gauge's public record is too short for seasonal comparisons
Is Patoka Lake full?
Yes and then some — at 541.45 ft, Patoka Lake is 5.5 ft above its full pool of 536.00 ft (NGVD29), using flood storage.
What is full pool for Patoka Lake?
Full pool (the conservation pool) for Patoka Lake is 536.00 ft NGVD29, per USACE Louisville District / Indiana DNR full-pool reference. Levels above it use flood storage; levels below it are drawdown.