White Earth Lake water level — North Dakota
White Earth Lake in North Dakota was last measured at 2,153.35 ft (datum NAVD88), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been rising (+0.3 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↑Rising
+0.3 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 06331885, 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 257 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind White Earth Lake
White Earth Lake is held back by White Earth Dam , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 46 ft high and running 1,360 ft along its crest , built across White Earth River in Mountrail County , near White Earth . It was completed in 1970 and modified in 1972S;1973S;2013 , and is owned by Mountrail County WRB (a local government 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 110 ft wide.
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 02/02/2023.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 160 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 4,239 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,554 acre-ft. It is regulated by ND DWR.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record ND00034 , 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 White Earth Lake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir | ND | 1,887.60 ft | 60 km |
| Lake Darling | ND | 1,597.97 ft | 86 km |
| Dry Lake | ND | 1,451.81 ft | 279 km |
| Devils Lake | ND | 1,450.05 ft | 287 km |
| Morrison Lake | ND | 1,459.61 ft | 289 km |
| Eastern Stump Lake | ND | 1,451.13 ft | 332 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of White Earth Lake?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:30 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 2,153.35 ft (datum NAVD88), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is White Earth 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 06331885, 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.