Montana · NorthWestern Energy

Hebgen Lake water level

Today's reading against full pool and Hebgen Lake's own seasonal history.

FULL POOL 6530 6532 6534
Elevation, feet (NGVD29)

as of August 14, 2026

6531.57 ft NGVD29

level 3.3 ft below 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 06038000) 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.

full pool 6528 6530 6532 6534 JFMAMJJASOND
  • 2026 (wettest on record)
  • 2025 (driest on record)

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 6534.87 ft NGVD29 · per NorthWestern Energy full-pool reference
Gauge USGS gauge 06038000 · U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System
Datum NGVD29
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 Hebgen Lake right now?

Hebgen Lake is at 6531.57 ft (NGVD29) as of August 14, 2026 — 3.3 ft below full pool — this gauge's public record is too short for seasonal comparisons

Is Hebgen Lake full?

Not quite — at 6531.57 ft, Hebgen Lake is 3.3 ft below its full pool of 6534.87 ft (NGVD29).

What is full pool for Hebgen Lake?

Full pool (the conservation pool) for Hebgen Lake is 6534.87 ft NGVD29, per NorthWestern Energy full-pool reference. Levels above it use flood storage; levels below it are drawdown.