Monroe City Lake water level — Missouri
Monroe City Lake in Missouri was last measured at 667.97 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.6 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 1,095 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.6 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 05507820 · USACE MVS/Monroe City Lk-Ely Cr, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
The dam behind Monroe City Lake
Monroe City Lake is held back by Monroe City Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 47 ft high and running 600 ft along its crest , built across ELY CREEK in Ralls County , near NEW LONDON . It was completed in 1967 , and is owned by MONROE CITY (a local government owner) .
Its recorded primary purpose is water supply — delivering water to its customers comes first, so drawdown here follows demand as much as it follows rainfall . It also serves water supply;recreation.
It is founded on rock, 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 166 ft wide. Its outlet works use none.
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. Its most recent condition assessment was satisfactory — no deficiencies recognised for expected loading. That assessment is dated 12/19/2007.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 95 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 3,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,170 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 10,149 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by Dam and Reservoir Safety Program.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record MO10542 , filed by Missouri — 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 Monroe City Lake compares nearby
4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Bridge | MO | 502.17 ft | 8 km |
| Rereg Pool | MO | 521.72 ft | 9 km |
| Mark Twain Lake Tw | MO | 521.98 ft | 9 km |
| Perry | MO | 629.44 ft | 20 km |
| New London | MO | 480.83 ft | 22 km |
| Palmyra | MO | 468.52 ft | 25 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Monroe City Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 667.97 ft (datum NAVD88), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Monroe City Lake 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 05507820 · USACE MVS/Monroe City Lk-Ely Cr, 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.