Lost Creek Lake water level — Oregon

Oregon · USGS · reading Aug 31, 2026, 1:00 AM (UTC-07:00) Provisional

Lost Creek Lake in Oregon was last measured at 1,795.11 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 1:00 AM (UTC-07:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−16.4 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.

Current reading Lost Creek Lake · Oregon
Pool elevation
1,795.11 ft

Datum NGVD29 · provisional, subject to revision. (Why datum matters →)

% of conservation pool full
Not reported
Storage
Not reported
Recent trend
↓Falling

−16.4 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.

1843.1ft1795.1ftJun 2 – Aug 31

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).

Not for navigation or safety decisions (why →)

Source: USGS site 14335040, 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 686 sq mi of contributing watershed.

The dam behind Lost Creek Lake

Lost Creek Lake is held back by William L. Jess Dam (also recorded as Lost Creek Lake; Lost Creek) , a rockfill embankment — quarried rock placed in compacted layers around a sealing core , standing 345 ft high and running 3,600 ft along its crest , built across ROGUE RIVER in Jackson County , near TRAIL . It was completed in 1976 , and is owned by USACE - Portland District (a federal 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;other;irrigation;recreation;hydroelectric.

Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 135 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.

At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 3,430 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 500,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 465,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 158,000 cubic feet per second.

Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record OR00612 , 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 Lost Creek Lake compares nearby

4 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.

Lakes nearest to Lost Creek Lake, with current level and distance.
Lake State Level Distance
Galesville Reservoir OR 1,826.40 ft 46 km
Crater Lake OR 6,166.30 ft 59 km
Diamond Lake OR 5,183.95 ft 71 km
Applegate Lake OR 1,912.97 ft 77 km
Lemolo Lake OR 4,146.77 ft 82 km
Upper Klamath Lake OR 4,141.28 ft 85 km

Frequently asked questions

What is the current water level of Lost Creek Lake?
As of Aug 31, 2026, 1:00 AM (UTC-07:00), the pool elevation was 1,795.11 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
Is Lost Creek 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 14335040, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).

More in Oregon

See every lake tracked in Oregon, or read the methodology behind these figures.