Lake Tuscaloosa water level — Alabama
Lake Tuscaloosa in Alabama was last measured at 222.52 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:15 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.8 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.8 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026 — a 89-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USGS site 02464800, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
This site's drainage basin covers approximately 423 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Lake Tuscaloosa
Lake Tuscaloosa is held back by Lake Tuscaloosa Dam (also recorded as North River Water Supply Dam) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 125 ft high and running 1,280 ft along its crest , built across NORTH RIVER in Tuscaloosa County , near HOLT . It was completed in 1971 , and is owned by TUSCALOOSA CITY OF (a local government owner) .
Its recorded primary purpose is recreation — holding a stable pool through the season is an operating goal, so a level well off normal in summer is unusual rather than routine . It also serves recreation;water supply.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in. It has not been assigned a condition rating.
NID records a maximum storage of 180,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 130,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 50,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record AL01137 , filed by Alabama — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USGS Water Services and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Lake Tuscaloosa compares nearby
4 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holt Lock and Dam | AL | 186.49 ft | 6 km |
| Oliver Lock and Dam | AL | 123.99 ft | 10 km |
| Bankhead | AL | 186.58 ft | 26 km |
| Bankhead Lock and Dam | AL | 254.47 ft | 26 km |
| Selden Lock and Dam | AL | 96.25 ft | 63 km |
| Heflin Lock and Dam | AL | 109.41 ft | 76 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Lake Tuscaloosa?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:15 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 222.52 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Lake Tuscaloosa full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USGS site 02464800, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Alabama
See every lake tracked in Alabama, or read the methodology behind these figures.