Lake James, NC

As of 2026-10-13, Lake James sits at 1200.30 ft, which is above average for this time of year. That is 0.30 ft above full pool of 1200.00 ft. Over the past 30 days the level has risen 3.50 ft.

The most recent reading at Lake James is 1200.30 ft (2026-10-13), sourced from Duke Energy. Readings on this page refresh automatically as the agency publishes new data.

The highest level for Lake James in our records is 1206.40 ft on 2024-09-27. The lowest is 1194.20 ft on 2026-02-03. Our record covers about 4 years of readings.

Compared with every October in our records, the current level is higher than 79% 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. Lake James has risen 3.50 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check Duke Energy directly.

Lake James is +3.30 ft compared with this date last year (1200.30 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 4 years, with a record high of 1206.40 ft and a record low of 1194.20 ft.