Lake Minnetonka water level · MN
Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Lake Minnetonka (Lake Minnetonka above Grays Bay outlet In Minnetonka).
Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 05289000, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.
928.41ft
recorded Nov 4, 5:00 AM
+0.12ft
rising
+0.14ft
rising
928.14–928.41ft
lowest to highest
Recent daily readings
| Date | Level (ft) | Δ day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 4● | 928.41 | ↑ 0.05 |
| Nov 3 | 928.36 | ↑ 0.08 |
| Nov 2 | 928.28 | ↑ 0.07 |
| Nov 1 | 928.21 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 31 | 928.22 | ↑ 0.04 |
| Oct 30 | 928.18 | ↓ 0.02 |
| Oct 29 | 928.20 | ↓ 0.07 |
| Oct 28 | 928.27 | ↑ 0.07 |
| Oct 27 | 928.20 | ↑ 0.06 |
| Oct 26 | 928.14 | ↓ 0.02 |
| Oct 25 | 928.16 | ↓ 0.03 |
| Oct 24 | 928.19 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 23 | 928.16 | ↓ 0.01 |
| Oct 22 | 928.17 | — |
Readings fetched Nov 4, 5:36 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.
Lake Minnetonka water level questions
- What is the water level at Lake Minnetonka today?
- 928.41 ft, recorded Nov 4, 5:00 AM at USGS gauge 05289000. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
- Is Lake Minnetonka rising or falling?
- rising — 0.14 ft over the last 7 days.
- How does this compare to normal for Lake Minnetonka?
- Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 928.14 ft to 928.41 ft; today's reading sits near the top of that range.
- Where does the water level data for Lake Minnetonka come from?
- USGS gauge 05289000 (Lake Minnetonka above Grays Bay outlet In Minnetonka), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
- What is the water temperature at Lake Minnetonka?
- 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 05289000
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
- 44.9533°, -93.4872°
- Gauge datum
- 927 ft
- USGS gauge
- 05289000
- Water temp sensor
- Yes
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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