Lake Conditions
Illustrated map of Beaver Kill and Willowemoc

Lake levels

Onondaga Lake, NY

water level
362.90 ft
Condition
Below average for this time of year
7-day change
-0.19 ft
30-day change
-0.45 ft
1-year change
-0.28 ft

Reading as of 2026-10-12 | the U.S. Geological Survey

Since yesterday
+0.00 ft
7-day change
-0.19 ft
30-day change
-0.45 ft
1-year change
-0.28 ft
Record high
369.77 ft

In brief

Onondaga Lake stood at 362.90 feet on Oct 12, 2026. That is lower than 78% of October readings since 1970.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Lake level timeline

362.5362.8363.2363.5363.8SEP 12SEP 17SEP 22SEP 27OCT 02OCT 07OCT 12HIGH 363.43LOW 362.90362.90 ft

Records and averages

Current level362.90 ft
Record high369.77 ft (1993-04-27)
Record low361.59 ft (1978-03-12)
Average of all readings363.52 ft
Data span56 years (18,556 readings)

Level schematic

361.3363.5365.7367.9370.1PUBLISHED HIGH 369.77 ft362.90 ftPUBLISHED LOW 361.59 ft

Frequently asked questions

Is Onondaga Lake full right now?

As of 2026-10-12, Onondaga Lake sits at 362.90 ft, which is below average for this time of year. Over the past 30 days the level has fallen 0.45 ft.

What is the water level at Onondaga Lake today?

The most recent reading at Onondaga Lake is 362.90 ft (2026-10-12), sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings on this page refresh automatically as the agency publishes new data.

What is the highest Onondaga Lake has ever been?

The highest level for Onondaga Lake in our records is 369.77 ft on 1993-04-27. The lowest is 361.59 ft on 1978-03-12. Our record covers about 56 years of readings.

Is Onondaga Lake low for this time of year?

Compared with every October in our records, the current level is higher than 22% of them, which we classify as below 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.

Why is Onondaga Lake low right now?

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. Onondaga Lake has fallen 0.45 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check the U.S. Geological Survey directly.

How much has Onondaga Lake changed over the past year?

Onondaga Lake is -0.28 ft compared with this date last year (362.90 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 56 years, with a record high of 369.77 ft and a record low of 361.59 ft.

Download and cite

Quote this reading

Onondaga Lake stood at 362.90 feet on Oct 12, 2026. That is lower than 78% of October readings since 1970.

From the U.S. Geological Survey, updated daily. The sentence changes with every new reading, so quote it with its date.

Download the full record

onondaga-lake-ny-water-level-history.csv

18,556 readings, Oct 1, 1970 to Oct 12, 2026. Daily readings. The longest gap since then is 732 days, from Sep 29, 1994. Columns: date, water_level_ft. 344 KB.

How to cite

MyWaterLevel, “Onondaga Lake water level, 1970 to 2026,” data from U.S. Geological Survey, https://mywaterlevel.com/lake/ny/onondaga-lake/, accessed Oct 13, 2026.

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Source: the U.S. Geological Survey. All New York lake levels. Readings are provisional and may be revised. About our data and methods.