Black Hawk Lake water level · IA
Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Black Hawk Lake (Black Hawk Lake At Lake View).
Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 05482315, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.
8.24ft
recorded Nov 4, 6:15 AM
+0.05ft
rising
+0.17ft
rising
8.06–8.24ft
lowest to highest
Recent daily readings
| Date | Level (ft) | Δ day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 4● | 8.24 | ↑ 0.04 |
| Nov 3 | 8.20 | ↑ 0.06 |
| Nov 2 | 8.14 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Nov 1 | 8.13 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 31 | 8.10 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 30 | 8.09 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 29 | 8.08 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 28 | 8.07 | 0 |
| Oct 27 | 8.07 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 26 | 8.06 | 0 |
| Oct 25 | 8.06 | 0 |
| Oct 24 | 8.06 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 23 | 8.07 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 22 | 8.06 | — |
Readings fetched Nov 4, 7:12 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.
Black Hawk Lake water level questions
- What is the water level at Black Hawk Lake today?
- 8.24 ft, recorded Nov 4, 6:15 AM at USGS gauge 05482315. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
- Is Black Hawk Lake rising or falling?
- rising — 0.17 ft over the last 7 days.
- How does this compare to normal for Black Hawk Lake?
- Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 8.06 ft to 8.24 ft; today's reading sits near the top of that range.
- Where does the water level data for Black Hawk Lake come from?
- USGS gauge 05482315 (Black Hawk Lake At Lake View), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
- What is the water temperature at Black Hawk Lake?
- This gauge has no live water-temperature sensor — the fishing tab shows a seasonal estimate based on air temperature.
Gage height history
Gage height · USGS gauge 05482315
Reading the chart. This gauge reports gage height — the depth of water above the sensor reference point, not absolute elevation. Trends matter more than the absolute number: a falling trend means shrinking launch depth.
Water levels respond to dam operations, irrigation drawdown, snowmelt, and recent rainfall. For launch decisions, combine the trend here with the wind forecast — low water plus strong wind makes steep, tired ramps.
About this lake
- Location
- 42.3039°, -95.0414°
- Gauge datum
- 1,214 ft
- USGS gauge
- 05482315
- Water temp sensor
- No
Water level data comes from the USGS gauge above; wind is modeled for the lake’s coordinates by Open-Meteo. Always confirm conditions locally before launching — shorelines, ramps, and trees can all change what you feel on the water. Midwest lakes are dominated by pre-frontal south winds that build through the day, then swing northwest sharply behind a cold front — the shift can arrive in minutes and double the gusts, especially on east–west basins.
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