Lake Monona at Madison water level — Wisconsin
Lake Monona at Madison in Wisconsin was last measured at 845.03 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been steady (−0.1 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- →Steady
−0.1 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 05429000, 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 279 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Lake Monona at Madison
Lake Monona at Madison is held back by Lake Wingra (also recorded as Dead Lake Locks) , a concrete gravity structure, resisting the reservoir by its own weight alone , standing 8 ft high and running 25 ft along its crest , built across MURPHY'S CREEK in Dane County , near MADISON . It was completed in 1930 and modified in 2009O , and is owned by City of Madison (a local government owner) .
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 .
Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back.
NID classes it low hazard potential: a failure would be expected to damage little beyond the owner's own property. It is a consequence rating, not a condition rating. Its most recent condition assessment was satisfactory — no deficiencies recognised for expected loading. That assessment is dated 01/28/2020.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 345 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 2,600 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,600 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 100 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by WIDNR.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record WI01067 , filed by Wisconsin — 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 Lake Monona at Madison compares nearby
1 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also steady right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Mendota at Madison | WI | 849.96 ft | 4 km |
| Lake Waubesa at Mc Farland | WI | 844.78 ft | 10 km |
| Lake Kegonsa at Barber Drive | WI | 843.29 ft | 15 km |
| Lake Koshkonong | WI | 776.57 ft | 44 km |
| North Lake | WI | 907.09 ft | 72 km |
| Geneva Lake at Lake Geneva | WI | 864.35 ft | 95 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Lake Monona at Madison?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 3:00 AM (UTC-05:00), the pool elevation was 845.03 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Lake Monona at Madison 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 05429000, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Wisconsin
See every lake tracked in Wisconsin, or read the methodology behind these figures.