Red Lock and Dam #5 Lower water level — Louisiana
Red Lock and Dam #5 Lower in Louisiana was last measured at 120.67 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 (+5.5 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+5.5 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/L&D 5-Lower, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Red Lock and Dam #5 Lower
Red Lock and Dam #5 Lower is held back by Joe D. Waggonner, Jr. Lock and Dam (also recorded as Joe D. Waggonner Lock and Dam;Lock No. 5;Red River Lock and Dam #5) , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 122 ft high and running 2,063 ft along its crest , built across RED RIVER in Caddo County , near SIMMESPORT . It was completed in 1985 , 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 gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 550 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 2,620 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 59,900 acre-ft against a normal storage of 43,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 255,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record LA00580 , 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lock and Dam #5 Upper | USACE MVK/L&D 5-Upper | 145.71 ft (NGVD29) | — |
How Red Lock and Dam #5 Lower compares nearby
4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lock and Dam #5 Upper | LA | 145.71 ft | 0 km |
| Lake Bistineau | LA | 135.49 ft | 11 km |
| Wallace Lake | LA | 139.84 ft | 18 km |
| Red Chute | LA | 136.03 ft | 24 km |
| Red Chute | LA | 145.01 ft | 38 km |
| Grand Bayou Reservoir | LA | 137.69 ft | 38 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Red Lock and Dam #5 Lower?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 8:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 120.67 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Red Lock and Dam #5 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/L&D 5-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.