Okatibbee Lake water level — Mississippi
Okatibbee Lake in Mississippi was last measured at 342.39 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 falling (−1.7 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 37,078 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−1.7 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 SAM/Okatibbee, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 1979 (2 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Okatibbee Lake
Okatibbee Lake is held back by Okatibbee Dam (also recorded as Okatibbee Lake) , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 72 ft high and running 6,620 ft along its crest , built across Okatibbee Creek in Lauderdale County , near Meridian . It was completed in 1968 , and is owned by USACE - Mobile District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CESAM.
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;recreation;water supply.
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 1,500 ft wide. Its outlet works use uncontrolled.
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 3,800 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 59,481 acre-ft against a normal storage of 46,538 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 2,250 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by MS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record MS01491 , 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 Okatibbee Lake compares nearby
2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okatibbee Crk at Arundel | MS | 262.49 ft | 20 km |
| Heflin Lock and Dam | AL | 109.41 ft | 74 km |
| Demopolis Lock and Dam | AL | 73.89 ft | 86 km |
| Selden Lock and Dam | AL | 96.25 ft | 96 km |
| Coffeeville Lock and Dam | AL | 33.25 ft | 102 km |
| Ross Barnett Reservoir | MS | 297.16 ft | 119 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Okatibbee Lake?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 342.39 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Okatibbee 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 USACE SAM/Okatibbee, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Mississippi
See every lake tracked in Mississippi, or read the methodology behind these figures.