W. Kerr Scott Reservoir water level — North Carolina
W. Kerr Scott Reservoir in North Carolina was last measured at 1,030.25 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 rising (+0.9 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 36,985 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+0.9 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 02111391 · USACE SAW/YAD WKS, 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 367 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind W. Kerr Scott Reservoir
W. Kerr Scott Reservoir is held back by W. Kerr Scott Dam (also recorded as W. Kerr Scott Reservoir) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 148 ft high and running 1,740 ft along its crest , built across YADKIN RIVER in Wilkes County , near WILKESBORO . It was completed in 1963 , 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;fish and wildlife pond;recreation;water supply.
It has 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 400 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 1,475 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 306,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 41,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 176,500 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record NC00300 , 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 W. Kerr Scott Reservoir compares nearby
4 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also rising right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claytor Lake | VA | 1,845.63 ft | 119 km |
| Little River Reservoir | VA | 1,771.79 ft | 120 km |
| Ninetynine Island Reservoir | SC | 509.45 ft | 125 km |
| Philpott Reservoir | VA | 969.46 ft | 129 km |
| Lake Blalock | SC | 710.11 ft | 133 km |
| Lake William C. Bowen | SC | 814.73 ft | 135 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of W. Kerr Scott Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 4:00 AM (UTC-04:00), the pool elevation was 1,030.25 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is W. Kerr Scott Reservoir 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 02111391 · USACE SAW/YAD WKS, 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.