Hyco Lake water level — North Carolina
Hyco Lake in North Carolina was last measured at 408.42 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:45 AM (UTC-04:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.5 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.5 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 02077280, 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 189 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Hyco Lake
Hyco Lake is held back by Lake Hyco Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 68 ft high and running 1,800 ft along its crest , built across Hyco River in Person County , near McGehees Mill . It was completed in 1963 , and is owned by Duke Energy Corporation (a public utility owner) .
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;water supply.
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. Its most recent condition assessment was fair: sound under normal loading, though a rare or extreme event could expose a deficiency. That assessment is dated 04/09/2026.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 4,015 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 169,501 acre-ft against a normal storage of 78,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 110,000 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by NCDEQ, DEMLR, Dam Safety Program.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record NC00656 , filed by North Carolina — 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 Hyco Lake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Creek Reservoir | VA | 257.95 ft | 52 km |
| Beaverdam Creek | NC | 247.98 ft | 63 km |
| John H. Kerr Reservoir | VA | 291.19 ft | 68 km |
| Page Lake | NC | 305.55 ft | 74 km |
| Brier Creek Reservoir | NC | 305.62 ft | 75 km |
| Sorrells Grove Reservoir | NC | 303.16 ft | 75 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Hyco Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:45 AM (UTC-04:00), the pool elevation was 408.42 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Hyco 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 02077280, 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.