Channel Lake, IL

As of 2026-10-12, Channel Lake sits at 4.24 ft, which is about average for this time of year. Over the past 30 days the level has risen 0.04 ft.

The most recent reading at Channel Lake is 4.24 ft (2026-10-12), sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings on this page refresh automatically as the agency publishes new data.

The highest level for Channel Lake in our records is 8.10 ft on 2017-07-17. The lowest is 2.41 ft on 2021-12-23. Our record covers about 33 years of readings.

Compared with every October in our records, the current level is higher than 59% of them, which we classify as about 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. Channel Lake has risen 0.04 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check the U.S. Geological Survey directly.

Channel Lake is +0.09 ft compared with this date last year (4.24 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 33 years, with a record high of 8.10 ft and a record low of 2.41 ft.