Leech Lake Dam water level — Minnesota
Leech Lake Dam in Minnesota was last measured at 1,294.14 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 steady (+0.0 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- →Steady
+0.0 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 MVP/MissHW_Leech, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Leech Lake Dam
Leech Lake Dam is held back by Leech Dam (also recorded as Leech Lake) , a concrete structure , standing 13 ft high and running 3,314 ft along its crest , built across LEECH RIVER in Cass County , near FEDERAL DAM . It was completed in 1885 , and is owned by USACE - St. Paul District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CEMVP.
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 . It also serves recreation;other;navigation;fish and wildlife pond;water supply;flood risk reduction.
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 152 ft wide. Its outlet works use other controlled21;slide (sluice gate)5.
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 117,500 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 680,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 490,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 1,500 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record MN00585 , 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 Leech Lake Dam compares nearby
All 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also steady, suggesting a regional pattern rather than an operation specific to this dam.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Winnibigoshish Dam | MN | 1,298.06 ft | 24 km |
| Bimijiwan Dam | MN | 1,301.76 ft | 30 km |
| Pokegama Lake | MN | 1,273.37 ft | 46 km |
| Pokegama Lake Dam | MN | 1,273.37 ft | 48 km |
| Pine River Dam at Cross Lake | MN | 1,229.01 ft | 65 km |
| Big Sandy Lake Dam | MN | 1,216.06 ft | 85 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Leech Lake Dam?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 1,294.14 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Leech Lake Dam 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 MVP/MissHW_Leech, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Minnesota
See every lake tracked in Minnesota, or read the methodology behind these figures.