Lake Murray water level · SC

Wind forecast, gusts, and lake elevation for small-craft sailing at Lake Murray (Lake Murray Near Columbia).

Good to know 📏 Reading USGS water gauges: elevation vs. gage height 💨 Gust factor: an indicator of jibe-crash risk
Lake Murray water level

Lake or reservoir elevation recorded at USGS gauge 02168500, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.

Lake elevation

354.32ft

recorded Nov 4, 6:15 AM

24-hr change

−0.08ft

falling

7-day change

−0.51ft

falling

14-day range

354.32–355.31ft

lowest to highest

Recent daily readings

DateLevel (ft)Δ day
Nov 4●354.32↓ 0.04
Nov 3354.36↓ 0.07
Nov 2354.43↓ 0.08
Nov 1354.51↓ 0.08
Oct 31354.59↓ 0.10
Oct 30354.69↓ 0.07
Oct 29354.76↓ 0.07
Oct 28354.83↓ 0.08
Oct 27354.91↓ 0.07
Oct 26354.98↓ 0.08
Oct 25355.06↓ 0.08
Oct 24355.14↓ 0.10
Oct 23355.24↓ 0.07
Oct 22355.31—

Readings fetched Nov 4, 6:36 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.

Lake Murray water level questions

What is the water level at Lake Murray today?
354.32 ft, recorded Nov 4, 6:15 AM at USGS gauge 02168500. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
Is Lake Murray rising or falling?
falling — 0.51 ft over the last 7 days.
How does this compare to normal for Lake Murray?
Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 354.32 ft to 355.31 ft; today's reading sits near the bottom of that range.
Where does the water level data for Lake Murray come from?
USGS gauge 02168500 (Lake Murray Near Columbia), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
What is the water temperature at Lake Murray?
This gauge has no live water-temperature sensor — the fishing tab shows a seasonal estimate based on air temperature.

Lake elevation history

Lake or reservoir elevation · USGS gauge 02168500

Reading the chart. This gauge reports absolute lake surface elevation in feet above its datum (typically NGVD29 or NAVD88). Sustained drops of more than a foot can expose shallow launch ramps and shoal areas.

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
34.0521°, -81.2207°
Gauge datum
-1 ft
USGS gauge
02168500
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. Southeast lake wind is often a thermal: light mornings building to a steady breeze by mid-afternoon, with squall lines ahead of cold fronts in the cooler months. Pop-up thunderstorms are the main hazard from June through September.

Report an issue with lake data