Lake Mendota water level · WI
Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Lake Mendota (Lake Mendota At Madison).
Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 05428000, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.
9.79ft
recorded Nov 4, 5:00 AM
+0.02ft
rising
+0.07ft
rising
9.70–9.80ft
lowest to highest
Recent daily readings
| Date | Level (ft) | Δ day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 4● | 9.79 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Nov 3 | 9.80 | ↑ 0.10 |
| Nov 2 | 9.70 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Nov 1 | 9.73 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 31 | 9.72 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 30 | 9.73 | ↓ 0.02 |
| Oct 29 | 9.75 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 28 | 9.72 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Oct 27 | 9.75 | ↑ 0.04 |
| Oct 26 | 9.71 | ↓ 0.04 |
| Oct 25 | 9.75 | ↑ 0.01 |
| Oct 24 | 9.74 | ↓ 0.02 |
| Oct 23 | 9.76 | ↓ 0.02 |
| Oct 22 | 9.78 | — |
Readings fetched Nov 4, 5:36 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.
Lake Mendota water level questions
- What is the water level at Lake Mendota today?
- 9.79 ft, recorded Nov 4, 5:00 AM at USGS gauge 05428000. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
- Is Lake Mendota rising or falling?
- rising — 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.
- How does this compare to normal for Lake Mendota?
- Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 9.70 ft to 9.80 ft; today's reading sits near the top of that range.
- Where does the water level data for Lake Mendota come from?
- USGS gauge 05428000 (Lake Mendota At Madison), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
- What is the water temperature at Lake Mendota?
- 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 05428000
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
- 43.0983°, -89.4079°
- Gauge datum
- 850 ft
- USGS gauge
- 05428000
- 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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