278.79 ft above mean sea level
90% full share of conservation capacity, as reported with the gauge reading
level 1.2 ft below full pool — typical for mid-August
Reading from Texas Water Development Board — Water Data for Texas (Water Data for Texas — cherokee); it refreshes with each site update rather than live.
Lake Cherokee through the year
The band is the lake's own normal: where the level has run on each calendar day, 2017–2026. 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 (this year)
- 2025 (last year, wettest on record)
- 2023 (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 | 280.00 ft above mean sea level · per Water Data for Texas — Lake Cherokee |
|---|---|
| Conservation capacity | 40,094 acre-feet · per Water Data for Texas — Lake Cherokee |
| Gauge | Water Data for Texas — cherokee · Texas Water Development Board — Water Data for Texas |
| Datum | ft above mean sea level |
| Last verified | August 20, 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 Lake Cherokee right now?
Lake Cherokee is at 278.79 ft (above mean sea level) as of August 20, 2026 — 1.2 ft below full pool — typical for mid-August The lake is holding 90% of its conservation capacity.
What percent full is Lake Cherokee?
As of August 20, 2026, Lake Cherokee is holding 90% of its conservation capacity, per Water Data for Texas — Lake Cherokee.
Is Lake Cherokee full?
Not quite — at 278.79 ft, Lake Cherokee is 1.2 ft below its full pool of 280.00 ft (above mean sea level). The lake is holding 90% of its conservation capacity.
What is full pool for Lake Cherokee?
Full pool (the conservation pool) for Lake Cherokee is 280.00 ft above mean sea level, per Water Data for Texas — Lake Cherokee. Levels above it use flood storage; levels below it are drawdown.