Orwell Lake water level · MN
Wind forecast, gusts, and gage height for small-craft sailing at Orwell Lake (Orwell Lake At Orwell Dam Near Fergus Falls).
Gage height recorded at USGS gauge 05045950, refreshed every 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the sensor.
64.41ft
recorded Nov 4, 6:00 AM
+0.21ft
rising
+0.03ft
rising
63.96–64.41ft
lowest to highest
Recent daily readings
| Date | Level (ft) | Δ day |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 4● | 64.41 | ↑ 0.13 |
| Nov 3 | 64.28 | ↑ 0.16 |
| Nov 2 | 64.12 | ↑ 0.16 |
| Nov 1 | 63.96 | ↓ 0.12 |
| Oct 31 | 64.08 | ↓ 0.14 |
| Oct 30 | 64.22 | ↓ 0.06 |
| Oct 29 | 64.28 | ↓ 0.10 |
| Oct 28 | 64.38 | ↑ 0.02 |
| Oct 27 | 64.36 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 26 | 64.33 | ↑ 0.02 |
| Oct 25 | 64.31 | ↑ 0.02 |
| Oct 24 | 64.29 | ↑ 0.03 |
| Oct 23 | 64.26 | ↑ 0.05 |
| Oct 22 | 64.21 | — |
Readings fetched Nov 4, 7:12 AM; the chart above loads the latest data live from USGS.
Orwell Lake water level questions
- What is the water level at Orwell Lake today?
- 64.41 ft, recorded Nov 4, 6:00 AM at USGS gauge 05045950. The chart above refreshes live from the same gauge.
- Is Orwell Lake rising or falling?
- steady — 0.03 ft over the last 7 days.
- How does this compare to normal for Orwell Lake?
- Over the last 14 days the gauge has ranged from 63.96 ft to 64.41 ft; today's reading sits near the top of that range.
- Where does the water level data for Orwell Lake come from?
- USGS gauge 05045950 (Orwell Lake At Orwell Dam Near Fergus Falls), which reports every 15 minutes to 1 hour. Readings are provisional until reviewed by the USGS.
- What is the water temperature at Orwell 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 05045950
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
- 46.2164°, -96.1781°
- USGS gauge
- 05045950
- 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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