Falls Lake water level — North Carolina
Falls Lake in North Carolina was last measured at 248.27 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 4:00 AM (UTC-04:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.4 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.4 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 02087182, 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 771 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Falls Lake
Falls Lake is held back by Falls Lake Dam (also recorded as Falls Lake) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 92 ft high and running 1,915 ft along its crest , built across NEUSE RIVER in Wake County , near FALLS . It was completed in 1981 , and is owned by USACE - Wilmington District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to COE.
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;other;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;water supply.
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 100 ft wide. Its outlet works use roller0.
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 11,310 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,020,980 acre-ft against a normal storage of 114,740 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 35,600 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record NC01713 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — 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 Falls Lake compares nearby
All 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh | NC | 251.09 ft | 12 km |
| Lake Lynn | NC | 333.51 ft | 13 km |
| Beaverdam Creek | NC | 247.98 ft | 13 km |
| Richland Lake | NC | 300.04 ft | 18 km |
| Lake Crabtree | NC | 275.35 ft | 21 km |
| Brier Creek Reservoir | NC | 305.62 ft | 22 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Falls Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 4:00 AM (UTC-04:00), the pool elevation was 248.27 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Falls 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 02087182, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in North Carolina
See every lake tracked in North Carolina, or read the methodology behind these figures.