Bodcau Lake water level — Louisiana
Bodcau Lake in Louisiana was last measured at 158.63 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 AM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been rising (+1.9 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 439 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+1.9 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 23, 2026 — a 20-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: USACE MVK/Bodcau Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Bodcau Lake
Bodcau Lake is held back by Bayou Bodcau Dam (also recorded as Bayou Bodcau Reservoir) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 76 ft high and running 15,850 ft along its crest , built across BAYOU BODCAU in Bossier County , near BOSSIER CITY . It was completed in 1949 , and is owned by USACE - Vicksburg District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CEMVK.
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;recreation.
It is founded on soil, with a earth core. 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 4,000 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 1 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,197,700 acre-ft against a normal storage of 0 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 71,300 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record LA00179 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Bodcau Lake compares nearby
3 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also rising right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cypress Bayou Lake | LA | 178.61 ft | 16 km |
| Red Chute | LA | 145.01 ft | 19 km |
| Red Chute | LA | 136.03 ft | 29 km |
| Cross Lake at Shreveport | LA | 170.26 ft | 34 km |
| Caddo Lake | LA | 168.02 ft | 38 km |
| Lake Bistineau | LA | 135.49 ft | 42 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Bodcau Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 158.63 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Bodcau Lake 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 USACE MVK/Bodcau Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Louisiana
See every lake tracked in Louisiana, or read the methodology behind these figures.