Mark Twain Lake Tw water level — Missouri
Mark Twain Lake Tw in Missouri was last measured at 521.98 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−2.9 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−2.9 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 MVS/Mark Twain Lk TW-Salt, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Mark Twain Lake Tw
Mark Twain Lake Tw is held back by Clarence Cannon Dam (also recorded as Mark Twain Lake) , a concrete structure , standing 188 ft high and running 1,940 ft along its crest , built across SALT RIVER in Ralls County , near NEW LONDON . It was completed in 1983 , and is owned by USACE - St. Louis District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CEMVS.
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;navigation;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;hydroelectric;water supply.
It is founded on rock;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 230 ft wide. Its outlet works use tainter (radial)4.
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 5,900 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,862,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 520,661 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 276,500 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record MO82201 , 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 Mark Twain Lake Tw compares nearby
5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rereg Pool | MO | 521.72 ft | 8 km |
| Norton Bridge | MO | 502.17 ft | 8 km |
| Monroe City Lake | MO | 667.97 ft | 9 km |
| Perry | MO | 629.44 ft | 11 km |
| New London | MO | 480.83 ft | 23 km |
| Santa Fe | MO | 627.35 ft | 25 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Mark Twain Lake Tw?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 521.98 ft (datum NAVD88). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Mark Twain Lake Tw 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 MVS/Mark Twain Lk TW-Salt, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Missouri
See every lake tracked in Missouri, or read the methodology behind these figures.