Coronavirus (COVID-19) Notice Toggle Dropdown Translate Home What We Do Toggle Dropdown Permits Toggle Dropdown Grants & Cost-share Toggle Dropdown Tools & Resources Toggle Dropdown Toggle Additional Navigation Items Dane County Land & Water Resources Department Lake Levels & Information The Land & Water Resources Department is responsible for maintaining lake levels for the four major lakes in Dane County: Lake Mendota, Lake Monona, Lake Waubesa and Lake Kegonsa. Minimum and maximum lake levels were set by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in 1979 and are listed below in the information tabs for each lake. For information on the 2018 flooding, please visit our Flood Facts & Initiatives webpage. Notices November 8, 2021 - Lake water levels will continue to lower below summer minimum and transition to winter operating levels. The National Weather Service is predicting less than 0.5 inch for the 7 day forecast. Lake levels are expected to continue to lower due to low rainfall amounts. Navigation buoys in the Yahara River and Lakes have been removed. Please use caution on the water due to removal of buoys that would normally mark hazards and navigation. Babcock lock is open for navigation. Lafollette lock is closed for navigation. Lake Levels* Lake Date Lake Level Winter Min Summer Max 1% Flood Mendota 12/1/2021 848.69 848.20 N/A 852.8 Monona 12/1/2021 844.54 842.20 N/A 847.7 Waubesa 12/1/2021 844.31 842.00 N/A 847.0 Kegonsa 12/1/2021 842.50 841.85 N/A 845.2 Chart Lake Levels Tabular Data Current Dam Status Name Date Percent Open Tenney 12/1/2021 16% Babcock 11/8/2021 100% LaFollette 11/2/2021 100% Tabular Data *Current lake levels are updated daily from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and are expressed in feet above sea level. These values are provisional data from USGS which are subject to revision based on a thorough review to ensure accuracy. Final data are usually published within 6 months of the end of the water year (Sept 30). For additional information, see the USGS website Real-Time Data for Wisconsin: Yahara River and Lakes or the booklet Understanding Lake Data (PDF) from University of Wisconsin Extension. The 1% Flood column in the table above is the 1% annual chance flood, also known as the 100-year flood. Minimum/maximum target lake levels are provided through orders from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, see lake tabs below for links to orders. Lake levels are managed in accordance with the Dane County Lake Level Management Guide for the Yahara Chain of Lakes, which was approved by the Lakes & Watershed Commission on 10/13/2010 and underwent a peer review by a group of experts convened by the Dane County Board of Supervisors in 2012. Dane County’s goal is to maintain the following target ranges: Summer goals (first runoff event after March 1st) - maintain water levels at the mid-range of summer minimum/maximum target levels Winter goals (starting November 1st) - maintain water levels between winter minimum and summer minimum target levels Note: Pursuant to Res-419 2020, adopted by the Dane County Board of Supervisors on April 8, 2021, "the Land & Water Resources Department has the flexibility to manage lake levels within the prescribed ranges proactively guided by weather forecasts”. Elevations are reported in feet above the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29). Prior to 1973, the datum was the Sea Level Datum of 1929, commonly referred to as mean sea level (MSL). See the Vertical Datums & Floodplain tab below for more information. Information Mendota Monona Waubesa Kegonsa Links Vertical Datums & Floodplain Lake Mendota General Statistics: Lake Surface Area: 9,842 ac Max. Depth: 82' Historic High: 852.74' (on June 6, 2000) More Information (UW Center for Limnology, NTL LTER) Lake Level Orders - Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order The document contains information on water levels and flow that will be established and adhered to as closely as possible by reasonable and proper operation of the Tenney Park Dam. Summer is defined as the period between the first spring runoff occurring after March 1 and October 30. Water levels are given as feet above mean sea level datum. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Document 3-SD-77-808, 1979 (PDF) Summer Minimum Water Level: 849.6' Summer Maximum Water Level: 850.1' Winter Minimum Water Level: 848.2' Additional requirement: maintain a 4.9' difference with Lake Monona. 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