Fort Gibson Lake Water Level
Oklahoma · Grand River
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Water level history
About Fort Gibson Lake
Fort Gibson Lake is a reservoir on the Grand River in Oklahoma, operated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Its full summer pool sits at 554 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Fort Gibson Lake's water level
Fort Gibson Lake is one of the Grand River lakes of northeastern Oklahoma, sitting on the Grand (Neosho) River below Lake Hudson and Grand Lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, has operated it since 1946 for flood control, hydropower, water supply and recreation. Its normal, or top-of-power, pool sits at 554 feet above sea level, and the Corps keeps a large flood pool above that reaching 582 feet, so the lake is built to rise sharply when the Grand River basin floods and then be drawn back down.
That 28-foot band between normal pool and the top of the flood pool is unusually wide, and it exists because the Grand and Neosho rivers drain a big, storm-prone stretch of northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas. Heavy rain upstream can send a lot of water into Fort Gibson quickly, so the lake can jump several feet after a wet spell, and the Corps then releases the stored water downstream over the following days and weeks. The sharpest changes come from those storms and from upstream releases in the Grand River chain, not from a fixed seasonal drawdown.
For the towns around Muskogee and Wagoner, Fort Gibson is both a water source and a recreation lake, generating hydropower at the dam and supplying drinking water while drawing boaters and anglers to its shoreline parks and ramps. Because those ramps and docks are set for the 554-foot power pool, a flood year that pushes the lake up toward 582 feet can leave low-lying facilities underwater until the water recedes, which is why regulars watch the gauge after big storms.
Fort Gibson Lake — frequently asked
Why does Fort Gibson Lake's water level change?
Fort Gibson is a Corps flood-control lake on the Grand (Neosho) River. It is held near a 554-foot power pool and rises into a flood pool up to 582 feet when the basin floods, after which the Corps releases the water downstream. Storms and upstream releases in the Grand River chain, not a seasonal schedule, drive its swings.
What are power pool and flood pool for Fort Gibson Lake?
The top of the power (normal) pool is 554 feet above sea level and the top of the flood-control pool is 582 feet, giving the Corps about a 28-foot band of flood storage above normal.
Why can Fort Gibson Lake rise so much after rain?
The Grand and Neosho rivers drain a large, storm-prone area of northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas, so heavy upstream rain can push a lot of water into the lake quickly. Its wide flood pool is designed to catch that water, after which it is released downstream.
Does Fort Gibson Lake supply water and power?
Yes. The Corps has operated the dam since 1946 for hydropower and water supply as well as flood control, so the lake both generates electricity and provides drinking water for the surrounding area in addition to recreation.
Is Fort Gibson Lake drawn down for winter?
It does not have a deep planned winter drawdown like some flood-control lakes. It is generally held near the 554-foot power pool, with the biggest changes coming from storms and Grand River chain operations rather than a seasonal schedule.
What is Fort Gibson Lake used for?
It provides flood control, hydropower and water supply and is a popular recreation lake in the Grand River country near Muskogee and Wagoner, with shoreline parks, ramps and marinas for boating and fishing.
Other lakes near Fort Gibson Lake
See current levels for all 16 Oklahoma lakes and reservoirs →
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