E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir water level — North Dakota
E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir in North Dakota was last measured at 1,887.60 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been rising (+0.2 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+0.2 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 05113750, 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 160 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir
E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir is held back by Short Creek Dam 1 , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 38 ft high and running 1,018 ft along its crest , built across East Branch Short Creek in Burke County , near ROCHEPERCEE,SAS . It was completed in 1962 and modified in 1964;1965;1967;1973;1984 , and is owned by ND Game & Fish (a state owner) , to a design credited to ND DWR.
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 is founded on soil, 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 valve1.
NID classes it significant hazard potential: a failure would be expected to damage property and infrastructure rather than cost lives. It is a consequence rating, not a condition rating. It has not been assigned a condition rating.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 112 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 2,765 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,200 acre-ft. It is regulated by ND DWR.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record ND00018 , filed by North Dakota — 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 E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir compares nearby
2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Earth Lake | ND | 2,153.35 ft | 60 km |
| Lake Darling | ND | 1,597.97 ft | 106 km |
| Dry Lake | ND | 1,451.81 ft | 292 km |
| Morrison Lake | ND | 1,459.61 ft | 301 km |
| Devils Lake | ND | 1,450.05 ft | 303 km |
| Eastern Stump Lake | ND | 1,451.13 ft | 350 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 1,887.60 ft (datum NAVD88), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is E. Branch Short Creek 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 05113750, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in North Dakota
See every lake tracked in North Dakota, or read the methodology behind these figures.