Rathbun Lake, IA

As of 2026-10-11, Rathbun Lake sits at 907.10 ft, which is above average for this time of year. Over the past 30 days the level has risen 1.41 ft.

The most recent reading at Rathbun Lake is 907.10 ft (2026-10-11), sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings on this page refresh automatically as the agency publishes new data.

The highest level for Rathbun Lake in our records is 926.71 ft on 2010-07-24. The lowest is 899.86 ft on 2006-11-27. Our record covers about 26 years of readings.

Compared with every October in our records, the current level is higher than 74% of them, which we classify as above average for this time of year. Seasonal comparison matters more than the raw number, because most reservoirs draw down predictably through late summer and refill over winter and spring.

Reservoir levels move for four main reasons: rainfall and runoff into the basin, releases through the dam for downstream water supply, power generation or flood control, evaporation during hot months, and seasonal drawdown schedules set by the operating agency. Rathbun Lake has risen 1.41 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check the U.S. Geological Survey directly.

Rathbun Lake is +2.26 ft compared with this date last year (907.10 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 26 years, with a record high of 926.71 ft and a record low of 899.86 ft.