Claytor Lake water level — Virginia
Claytor Lake in Virginia was last measured at 1,845.63 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.2 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.2 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 7, 2026 — a 5-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: USACE LRH/Claytor-Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2020 .
The dam behind Claytor Lake
Claytor Lake is held back by Claytor , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 139 ft high and running 1,150 ft along its crest , built across New in Pulaski County , near Radford . It was completed in 1939 , and is owned by Appalachian Power Company (a public utility owner) .
Its recorded primary purpose is hydroelectric — releases follow generation schedules, so the level can move on a daily cycle that has nothing to do with drought . It also serves hydroelectric;navigation;recreation;water supply.
It is founded on rock, with a concrete core. Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. Its outlet works use vertical lift9.
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 04/11/2023.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 4,472 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 232,000 acre-ft against a normal storage of 232,000 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 1,043,800 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record VA155002 , filed by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Claytor Lake compares nearby
1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little River Reservoir | VA | 1,771.79 ft | 1 km |
| Philpott Reservoir | VA | 969.46 ft | 59 km |
| Bluestone Lake | WV | 1,410.94 ft | 68 km |
| W. Kerr Scott Reservoir | NC | 1,030.25 ft | 119 km |
| River.d. Bailey Lake | WV | 1,035.39 ft | 124 km |
| Summersville Lake | WV | 1,652.46 ft | 131 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Claytor Lake?
- As of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 1,845.63 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Claytor 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 USACE LRH/Claytor-Lake, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Virginia
See every lake tracked in Virginia, or read the methodology behind these figures.