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Canyon Ferry Lake Water Level

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Montana

3,784.78ftWell below full pool

Latest reading Oct 26, 10:00 AM · elevation

Canyon Ferry Lake is 12.2 ft below full pool today (3,784.78 ft vs 3,797.00 ft), 2.1 ft higher than a year ago. It is 79% full. It has risen 0.11 ft since yesterday and is up 0.28 ft over 7 days.

Lake 12.2 ft below full pool and steady, light ESE wind — good fall fishing day (7/10), best window 8:23 AM–9:23 AM (moonset near sunrise).

vs full pool−12.22 ftFull pool 3,797.0 ft · USACE
How full79%1,489k of 1,892k acre-ft
Change since yesterday+0.11 ft7 days: +0.28 ft
Same date last year3,782.72 ftNow +2.06 ft vs 2025
Dam release3,014 cfsOutflow below the dam
Air temp & weather now37°F · Mostly SunnyWind ESE 7 mph, gusts 14NWS forecast · see Weather & wind below
Sun today8 AM – 6:20 PMFirst light 7:28 AM · Last light 6:52 PM

Water level chart

ft above sea level

Full pool (3,797.0 ft) is 12.2 ft above the latest reading, off this chart

Full pool (3,797.0 ft) is 12.2 ft above the latest reading, off this chart

Full pool (3,797.0 ft) is 12.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chart

Reading

Canyon Ferry Lake fishing report & conditions

updated Oct 26, 12:50 PM ET

Lake 12.2 ft below full pool and steady, light ESE wind — good fall fishing day (7/10), best window 8:23 AM–9:23 AM (moonset near sunrise).

Best fishing times today

Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)

7/10

Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 8 AM · Sunset 6:20 PM

Major fishing times

  • Moon overhead12:11 AM–2:11 AM
  • Moon underfoot12:38 PM–2:38 PM

Minor fishing times

  • Moonset8:23 AM–9:23 AM
    Sunrise
  • Moonrise5:44 PM–6:44 PM
    Sunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
TodayOct 267/10GoodMajor 12:11 AM–2:11 AM · 12:38 PM–2:38 PM
Minor 8:23 AM–9:23 AM · 5:44 PM–6:44 PM
Light wind 2–8 mph
TueOct 275/10FairMajor 1:07 AM–3:07 AM · 1:37 PM–3:37 PM
Minor 9:47 AM–10:47 AM · 6:20 PM–7:20 PM
Light wind 6–12 mph
WedOct 284/10FairMajor 2:08 AM–4:08 AM · 2:40 PM–4:40 PM
Minor 11:08 AM–12:08 PM · 7:08 PM–8:08 PM
Light wind 4–9 mph
ThuOct 294/10FairMajor 3:12 AM–5:12 AM · 3:45 PM–5:45 PM
Minor 12:19 PM–1:19 PM · 8:11 PM–9:11 PM
Calm wind 2–6 mph
FriOct 303/10PoorMajor 4:17 AM–6:17 AM · 4:48 PM–6:48 PM
Minor 1:15 PM–2:15 PM · 9:26 PM–10:26 PM
Calm wind 1–4 mph
SatOct 314/10FairMajor 5:19 AM–7:19 AM · 5:48 PM–7:48 PM
Minor 1:57 PM–2:57 PM · 10:47 PM–11:47 PM
Calm wind 0–2 mph
SunNov 14/10FairMajor 5:16 AM–7:16 AM · 5:43 PM–7:43 PM
Minor 1:29 PM–2:29 PM · 11:07 PM–12:07 AM
Calm wind 4–4 mph
How this rating works

Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the lake level is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.

Baseevery day starts at 11
Sunrise / sunseta period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1)2
Moon phasewithin 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days)2
Local conditionspressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · level within ±0.25 ft in 24 h +1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
  • Pressure: No NWS pressure forecast for this day +0
  • Wind: Light ESE 2–8 mph, gusts 15 +1
  • Level: Level steady (+0.11 ft in 24 h) +1
2
Today7, rounded7/10

1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.

Solunar periods calculated for 46.65, -111.73 (moon times from astronomical equations, Canyon Ferry Lake local time).

Weather & wind at Canyon Ferry Lake

air temperature, not water
Air temp37°FNWS forecast for this hour
Wind7 mphfrom the ESE · NWS forecast this hour
Gusts14 mphpeak gusts this hour

3-day forecast

NOAA National Weather Service forecast for 46.648, -111.729 (grid TFX), issued Oct 26, 10:06 AM local time. High / low are air temperatures; water temperature is in the fishing section above. The “Air temp & weather” tile at the top refreshes live.

Past 12 months

daily readings from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Last 10 days

DateLevel (ft)Change
Mon Oct 26 (today)3,784.73+0.06
Sun Oct 253,784.67+0.03
Sat Oct 243,784.64+0.11
Fri Oct 233,784.53±0.00
Thu Oct 223,784.53+0.01
Wed Oct 213,784.52+0.01
Tue Oct 203,784.51+0.02
Mon Oct 193,784.49+0.01
Sun Oct 183,784.48+0.01
Sat Oct 173,784.47+0.02

Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.

About this data

Source
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — Canyon Ferry Dam & Reservoir
Location
46.6477, -111.7285 · Montana
Measures
Reservoir water-surface elevation, feet above sea level
Latest reading
Oct 26, 10:00 AM local time
History
399 days on file since 2025-09-21
Page built
Oct 26, 2026 12:50 PM ET
Full pool
3,797.00 ft — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Top of Conservation)
Storage
1,488,617 of 1,891,888 acre-ft (Top of Conservation)

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (official page). Operator data is preliminary and may be revised. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.