Van Etten Lake at Oscoda water level — Michigan
Van Etten Lake at Oscoda in Michigan was last measured at 589.30 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:15 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been rising (+0.1 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+0.1 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 442656083202301, 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 280 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Van Etten Lake at Oscoda
Van Etten Lake at Oscoda is held back by Van Etten Lake Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 9 ft high and running 150 ft along its crest , built across Pine River in Iosco County , near Oscoda-Au Sable . It was completed in 1947 , and is owned by Iosco County (a private 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 .
Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 54 ft wide.
NID classes it low hazard potential: a failure would be expected to damage little beyond the owner's own property. It is a consequence rating, not a condition rating. Its most recent condition assessment was satisfactory — no deficiencies recognised for expected loading. That assessment is dated 06/28/2018.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 1,320 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 5,040 acre-ft against a normal storage of 2,100 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 5,000 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by MICHIGAN DEGLE.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record MI00737 , filed by Michigan — 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 Van Etten Lake at Oscoda compares nearby
None of the 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are rising right now — this lake's movement looks specific to its own operation rather than shared regional conditions.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake St Helen | MI | 1,154.94 ft | 88 km |
| Higgins Lake | MI | 1,153.77 ft | 107 km |
| Houghton Lake | MI | 1,137.78 ft | 115 km |
| Otsego Lake | MI | 1,273.31 ft | 120 km |
| Mullett Lake | MI | 593.11 ft | 155 km |
| Austin Lake | MI | 855.27 ft | 308 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Van Etten Lake at Oscoda?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:15 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 589.30 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Van Etten Lake at Oscoda 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 442656083202301, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Michigan
See every lake tracked in Michigan, or read the methodology behind these figures.