Pueblo Reservoir water level — Colorado
Pueblo Reservoir in Colorado was last measured at 4,859.70 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:15 AM (UTC-06:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−2.2 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 166,599 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−2.2 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 07099350 · USACE SPA/Pueblo, 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 4,669 sq mi of contributing watershed. USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 1998 (2 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Pueblo Reservoir
Pueblo Reservoir is held back by Pueblo Dam (also recorded as Lake Pueblo;Pueblo Reservoir) , a buttress dam — a thin upstream face braced by a row of supports behind it , standing 245 ft high and running 10,230 ft along its crest , built across ARKANSAS RIVER in Pueblo County , near PUEBLO . It was completed in 1975 and modified in 2000F;2000S , and is owned by BUREAU OF RECLAMATION (a federal owner) , to a design credited to BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;irrigation;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;water supply.
Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 550 ft wide.
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.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 5,671 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 489,116 acre-ft against a normal storage of 322,949 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 191,500 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by DWR.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record CO00299 , filed by Bureau of Reclamation — 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 Pueblo Reservoir compares nearby
4 of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle Creek Dry Dam | CO | 6,545.68 ft | 79 km |
| Trinidad Lake | CO | 6,171.72 ft | 126 km |
| Lake Maloya | NM | 7,509.01 ft | 146 km |
| John Martin Reservoir at Caddoa | CO | 3,801.42 ft | 158 km |
| Costilla Reservoir | NM | — | 163 km |
| Taylor Park Reservoir at Taylor Park, Co | CO | 9,296.81 ft | 175 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Pueblo Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:15 AM (UTC-06:00), the pool elevation was 4,859.70 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Pueblo Reservoir 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 07099350 · USACE SPA/Pueblo, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Colorado
See every lake tracked in Colorado, or read the methodology behind these figures.