Houghton Lake water level · MI
Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Houghton Lake (Houghton Lake near Houghton Lake Heights).
Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 442400084472801, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.
7.93ft
recorded Nov 4, 7:15 AM
+0.06ft
rising
−0.01ft
falling
7.89–8.02ft
lowest to highest
Recent daily readings
| Date | Level (ft) | Δ day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 4● | 7.93 | ↑ 0.04 |
| Nov 3 | 7.89 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Nov 2 | 7.92 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Nov 1 | 7.89 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Oct 31 | 7.92 | ↑ 0.02 |
| Oct 30 | 7.90 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Oct 29 | 7.93 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 28 | 7.94 | ↓ 0.04 |
| Oct 27 | 7.98 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 26 | 7.95 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Oct 25 | 7.98 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Oct 24 | 8.01 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 23 | 8.02 | ↑ 0.02 |
| Oct 22 | 8.00 | — |
Readings fetched Nov 4, 8:09 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.
Houghton Lake water level questions
- What is the water level at Houghton Lake today?
- 7.93 ft, recorded Nov 4, 7:15 AM at USGS gauge 442400084472801. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
- Is Houghton Lake rising or falling?
- steady — 0.01 ft over the last 7 days.
- How does this compare to normal for Houghton Lake?
- Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 7.89 ft to 8.02 ft; today's reading sits near the bottom of that range.
- Where does the water level data for Houghton Lake come from?
- USGS gauge 442400084472801 (Houghton Lake near Houghton Lake Heights), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
- What is the water temperature at Houghton 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 442400084472801
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
- 44.4044°, -84.7910°
- Gauge datum
- 1,130 ft
- USGS gauge
- 442400084472801
- 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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