Lake Levels DailyLake Levels Daily

Lake Barkley Water Level Today

Daily level, distance to full pool and history for Lake Barkley, on the Cumberland River in Kentucky.

Updated · Source: US Army Corps of EngineersUSACE Provisional

Water level Provisional

354.35ft

msl · 6:00 PM CST, Nov 7, 2026

  • 4.65 ftbelow full pool (359.0 ft)
  • 631,412acre-ft in storage
  • −0.10 ftin 24 h−0.45 ft in 7 days−0.74 ft in 30 days
354356358360362354356358360362354356358360362
  • Full pool
  • 1 yr ago

Is Lake Barkley full?

No. Lake Barkley is 4.65 ft below full pool (359.0 ft). It is 0.53 ft lower than a year ago (354.88 ft on Nov 7, 2025).

Lake Barkley level history

View data table
DateLevel (ft)% full
Nov 7, 2026354.35—
Nov 6, 2026354.45—
Nov 5, 2026354.60—
Nov 4, 2026354.61—
Nov 3, 2026354.79—
Nov 2, 2026354.77—
Nov 1, 2026354.88—
Oct 31, 2026354.86—
Oct 30, 2026354.87—
Oct 29, 2026354.91—
Oct 28, 2026354.88—
Oct 27, 2026354.89—
Oct 26, 2026354.83—
Oct 25, 2026354.90—
Oct 24, 2026354.95—
Oct 23, 2026354.89—
Oct 22, 2026354.86—
Oct 21, 2026354.83—
Oct 20, 2026354.74—
Oct 19, 2026354.64—
Oct 18, 2026354.61—
Oct 17, 2026354.43—
Oct 16, 2026354.28—
Oct 15, 2026354.64—
Oct 14, 2026354.78—
Oct 13, 2026354.81—
Oct 12, 2026354.84—
Oct 11, 2026354.89—
Oct 10, 2026355.05—
Oct 9, 2026355.10—
Oct 8, 2026355.09—
  • Lake Barkley level
  • Full pool 359.0 ft
  • Above full pool
Source: USACE · Daily averages since 1989

Lake Barkley on Nov 7 in past years

Lake Barkley water level on Nov 7 in past years
YearLevel (ft)vs todayvs full pool
2026today354.35—−4.65 ft
2025354.88+0.53−4.12 ft
2024354.82+0.47−4.18 ft
2023355.10+0.75−3.90 ft
2022354.61+0.26−4.39 ft
2021354.66+0.31−4.34 ft
2020354.75+0.40−4.25 ft
2019354.61+0.26−4.39 ft
2018355.48+1.13−3.52 ft
2017354.74+0.39−4.26 ft
2016354.51+0.16−4.49 ft

Today’s level is the lowest for this date since 2015.

Lake facts

Full pool (conservation pool)
359.0 ft msl
Seasonal target today
354.4 ft−0.04 ft vs target
Summer / winter pool
359.0 / 354.0 ft
Top of flood pool
375.0 ft msl
Highest since 1989
372.47 ftMay 4, 2011
Lowest since 1989
353.09 ftJan 30, 1996
Data since
Dec 31, 1989
Dam
Barkley Damcompleted 1966
River
Cumberland River
Operated by
US Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District
Dam location
Lyon County
Gauge location
37.0208, −88.2229

Dam, river and owner from the National Inventory of Dams (USACE). Records cover Dec 31, 1989 to today (daily averages).

Cumberland River chain

UpstreamCumberland RiverDownstream
  1. Lake Cumberland690.73 ft −32.27 ft vs full pool
  2. Lake Barkley354.35 ft −4.65 ft vs full poolYou are here

Several Corps of Engineers lakes in Tennessee lie between Lake Cumberland and Lake Barkley.

Weather on the lake

  1. Tonight34°FLowCalmPatchy Fog
  2. Sunday62°FHighLow 37°FW 0–6 mphAreas Of Frost then Sunny
  3. Monday67°FHighLow 40°FW 0–3 mphPatchy Fog then Sunny
  4. Tuesday70°FHighLow 43°FSW 2–6 mphSunny
  5. Wednesday68°FHighLow 44°FSW 1–7 mphMostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers and Thunderstorms
  6. Thursday58°FHighLow 35°FNNW 6–12 mphSlight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny
  7. Friday52°FHighLow 33°FNNW 6–9 mphMostly Sunny

Forecast: National Weather Service for the dam area (37.02, −88.22). Wind speeds are forecasts, not measurements.

Nearby lakes

Quick answers

What is the full pool level of Lake Barkley?
359.0 ft above mean sea level, the top of its conservation pool. Above it, water is held in the flood pool (up to 375.0 ft) and released through Barkley Dam when conditions downstream allow.
How much does Lake Barkley need to be full?
Lake Barkley needs 4.65 ft more water to reach full pool (359.0 ft), as of Nov 7, 2026.
Is Lake Barkley rising or falling?
It is falling: −0.45 ft in the last 7 days and −0.10 ft in 24 hours, to 354.35 ft on 6:00 PM CST, Nov 7, 2026 (US Army Corps of Engineers).
When was Lake Barkley last full?
It was last at or above full pool (359.0 ft) on Jul 29, 2026. On Nov 7, 2026 it was 4.65 ft below.
What is the highest level in our data?
Lake Barkley reached 372.47 ft on May 4, 2011. The lowest was 353.09 ft on Jan 30, 1996 (USACE data since 1989; older records are not in this data set).
How much has Lake Barkley changed in the last year?
In the last 12 months it ranged from 354.28 ft (Oct 16, 2026) to 360.75 ft (May 27, 2026), a swing of 6.47 ft.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated several times a day with the latest reading from US Army Corps of Engineers. The last reading is from 6:00 PM CST, Nov 7, 2026.

Where this data comes from

Hourly pool elevation from the US Army Corps of Engineers (water.usace.army.mil). Recent readings are provisional and may be revised. Weather from the National Weather Service. Dam details from the National Inventory of Dams.

Lake Levels Daily is an independent site, not affiliated with TWDB, LCRA, USACE, USGS, NOAA, TVA or any lake operator. Check official sources before making safety decisions.