2893.04 ft operator datum (SKQ Dam)
level At full pool — unusually high for mid-August
Reading comes straight from U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (USGS gauge 12371550) and updates live when you load this page.
Flathead Lake through the year
The band is the lake's own normal: where the level has run on each calendar day, 1999–2026. The summer drawdown — and how this year sits in it — shows up without reading a single number.
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.
- 2026 (wettest on record)
- 2023 (driest on record)
- 2025 (last 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 | 2893.00 ft operator datum (SKQ Dam) · per Energy Keepers Inc (CSKT) - SKQ Dam; USGS gauge full-pool reference |
|---|---|
| Gauge | USGS gauge 12371550 · U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System |
| Datum | operator datum (SKQ Dam) — USGS 00062 (elevation above site datum) reads directly in lake-elevation feet matching the operator's 2893 full-pool scale. Currently at full pool. |
| 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 Flathead Lake right now?
Flathead Lake is at 2893.04 ft (operator datum (SKQ Dam)) as of August 14, 2026 — At full pool — unusually high for mid-August
Is Flathead Lake full?
Yes — at 2893.04 ft, Flathead Lake is at full pool (2893.00 ft operator datum (SKQ Dam)).
What is full pool for Flathead Lake?
Full pool (the conservation pool) for Flathead Lake is 2893.00 ft operator datum (SKQ Dam), per Energy Keepers Inc (CSKT) - SKQ Dam; USGS gauge full-pool reference. Levels above it use flood storage; levels below it are drawdown.