Lake Conditions
Illustrated map of Douglas Lake

Lake levels

Watauga Lake, TN

water level
1949.36 ft
Condition
Rising
7-day change
+1.12 ft
30-day change
-0.39 ft
1-year change
-0.51 ft

Reading as of 2026-10-13 | the Tennessee Valley Authority

Since yesterday
+0.29 ft
7-day change
+1.12 ft
30-day change
-0.39 ft
1-year change
-0.51 ft
Record high
1961.42 ft

In brief

Watauga Lake stood at 1,949.36 feet on Oct 13, 2026.

Source: Tennessee Valley Authority

Last 30 days

1947.61948.21948.81949.41950.0SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13HIGH 1949.75LOW 1947.871949.36 ftLAST READING

Last 12 months

1,9461,9501,9541,9571,961OCT 25DEC 25FEB 26APR 26JUN 26AUG 26OCT 26HIGH 1959.25LOW 1947.871949.36 ftLAST READING

Records and averages

Current level1949.36 ft
Record high1961.42 ft (2025-05-14)
Record low1947.87 ft (2026-10-11)
Average of all readings1954.17 ft
Data span1.8 years (651 readings)

Level schematic

1,947.31,951.01,954.61,958.31,962.0PUBLISHED HIGH 1,961.42 ft1,949.36 ftPUBLISHED LOW 1,947.87 ft

Frequently asked questions

Is Watauga Lake full right now?

As of 2026-10-13, Watauga Lake sits at 1949.36 ft. Over the past 30 days the level has fallen 0.39 ft.

What is the water level at Watauga Lake today?

The most recent reading at Watauga Lake is 1949.36 ft (2026-10-13), sourced from the Tennessee Valley Authority. Readings on this page refresh automatically as the agency publishes new data.

What is the highest Watauga Lake has ever been?

The highest level for Watauga Lake in our records is 1961.42 ft on 2025-05-14. The lowest is 1947.87 ft on 2026-10-11. Our record covers about 1.8 years of readings.

Why is Watauga Lake changing 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. Watauga Lake has fallen 0.39 ft over the past 30 days. For the operational reason on any given week, check the Tennessee Valley Authority directly.

How much has Watauga Lake changed over the past year?

Watauga Lake is -0.51 ft compared with this date last year (1949.36 ft today). The full-history chart above covers 1.8 years, with a record high of 1961.42 ft and a record low of 1947.87 ft.

Download and cite

Quote this reading

Watauga Lake stood at 1,949.36 feet on Oct 13, 2026.

From the Tennessee Valley Authority, updated daily. The sentence changes with every new reading, so quote it with its date.

Download the full record

watauga-lake-tn-water-level-history.csv

651 readings, Jan 1, 2025 to Oct 13, 2026. Daily readings. Columns: date, water_level_ft. 13 KB.

How to cite

MyWaterLevel, “Watauga Lake water level, 2025 to 2026,” data from Tennessee Valley Authority, https://mywaterlevel.com/lake/tn/watauga-lake/, accessed Oct 13, 2026.

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Source: the Tennessee Valley Authority. All Tennessee lake levels. Readings are provisional and may be revised. About our data and methods.