Columbia Lock and Dam Lower water level — Louisiana
Columbia Lock and Dam Lower in Louisiana was last measured at 34.92 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−2.6 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−2.6 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 7, 2026 — a 5-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/Columbia L&D-Lower, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Columbia Lock and Dam Lower
Columbia Lock and Dam Lower is held back by Columbia Lock and Dam , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 90 ft high and running 590 ft along its crest , built across OUACHITA RIVER in Caldwell County , near COLUMBIA . It was completed in 1970 , and is owned by USACE - Vicksburg District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CEMVK.
Its recorded primary purpose is navigation — the pool is held inside a narrow band to keep a navigable depth, so large swings are rare by design . It also serves navigation;recreation;water supply.
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 400 ft wide.
NID classes it significant hazard potential: a failure would be expected to damage property and infrastructure rather than cost lives. It is a consequence rating, not a condition rating.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 7,070 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 156,800 acre-ft against a normal storage of 94,900 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 120,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record LA00177 , 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 →)
Other gauges at this site
A second gauge reports at this same structure. Its readings are listed here rather than on a separate page, because it measures the same water.
| Gauge | Source | Elevation | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Lock and Dam Upper | USACE MVK/Columbia L&D-Upper | 49.46 ft (NGVD29) | — |
How Columbia Lock and Dam Lower compares nearby
3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Lock and Dam Upper | LA | 49.46 ft | 0 km |
| Bayou Darbonne Lake | LA | 79.71 ft | 65 km |
| Catahoula Lake Center | LA | 26.17 ft | 75 km |
| Catahoula Structure Landside | LA | 26.20 ft | 76 km |
| Catahoula Structure Riverside | LA | 17.55 ft | 76 km |
| Jonesville Lock and Dam Upper | LA | 35.32 ft | 80 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Columbia Lock and Dam Lower?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 34.92 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Columbia Lock and Dam Lower 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/Columbia L&D-Lower, 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.