Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh water level — North Carolina
Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh in North Carolina was last measured at 251.09 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 31, 2026, 4:15 AM (UTC-04:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.1 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.1 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 0208728880, 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 9 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh
Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh is held back by Shelley Lake Dam (also recorded as Crabtree Creek WS Dam #13) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 51 ft high and running 1,155 ft along its crest , built across Lead Mine Creek in Wake County , near Raleigh . It was completed in 1975 , and is owned by Wake County General Services Administration (a local government owner) .
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.
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 satisfactory — no deficiencies recognised for expected loading. That assessment is dated 10/31/2024.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 32 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 4,205 acre-ft against a normal storage of 420 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 29,167 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by NCDEQ, DEMLR, Dam Safety Program.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record NC01452 , 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 Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Lynn | NC | 333.51 ft | 4 km |
| Richland Lake | NC | 300.04 ft | 7 km |
| Lake Johnson | NC | 343.27 ft | 11 km |
| Lake Crabtree | NC | 275.35 ft | 11 km |
| Falls Lake | NC | 248.27 ft | 12 km |
| Brier Creek Reservoir | NC | 305.62 ft | 13 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 4:15 AM (UTC-04:00), the pool elevation was 251.09 ft (datum NAVD88), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh 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 0208728880, 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.