John H. Kerr Reservoir water level — Virginia
John H. Kerr Reservoir in Virginia was last measured at 291.19 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 4:10 AM (UTC-04:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−3.0 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 1,100,091 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−3.0 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 02079490 · USACE SAW/ROA JHK, 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 7,866 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind John H. Kerr Reservoir
John H. Kerr Reservoir is held back by John H. Kerr Dam (also recorded as Buggs Island Dam;Buggs Island Saddle Dike No. 1) , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 144 ft high and running 2,785 ft along its crest , built across Roanoke River in Mecklenburg County , near ROANOKE RAPIDS . It was completed in 1953 , and is owned by USACE - Wilmington District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CE.
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;hydroelectric;water supply.
It is founded on rock and soil, with a earth core. Its spillway is gated, so the operator can hold the pool above the spillway crest and meter what leaves. The spillway opening is 1,092 ft wide. Its outlet works use slide (sluice gate)6;tainter (radial)22.
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 48,900 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 3,363,500 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,488,600 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 800,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record VA117001 , 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 John H. Kerr Reservoir compares nearby
All 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling, suggesting a regional pattern rather than an operation specific to this dam.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Creek Reservoir | VA | 257.95 ft | 16 km |
| Hyco Lake | NC | 408.42 ft | 68 km |
| Beaverdam Creek | NC | 247.98 ft | 73 km |
| Falls Lake | NC | 248.27 ft | 77 km |
| Lake Lynn | NC | 333.51 ft | 88 km |
| Shelley Lake at Shelley Lake Park at Raleigh | NC | 251.09 ft | 89 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of John H. Kerr Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 4:10 AM (UTC-04:00), the pool elevation was 291.19 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is John H. Kerr 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 02079490 · USACE SAW/ROA JHK, 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.