Lake Mendota At Madison reservoir
Lake Mendota At Madison
Lake Mendota is a glacial lake located in Madison, Wisconsin with a surface area of 9,842 acres. The lake is over 450ft deep and is a popular location for fishing, ice skating, and water sports. The lake's hydrology is heavily influenced by precipitation, snowpack, and surface run-off from the surrounding land, which is primarily agricultural. The Yahara River is the primary surface flow provider and is responsible for over 90% of the water entering the lake. The lake has a rich history, with Native American tribes inhabiting the area for thousands of years before European settlement. In the early 20th century, the lake was heavily polluted, but efforts to reduce agricultural runoff and sewage have improved its water quality. Lake Mendota remains an important resource for fishing, recreation, and research in Wisconsin.
Daily levels at Lake Mendota At Madison
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
Gage height, ft
ft · code 00065
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Lake Mendota At Madison -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yahara River At East Main Street At Madison | 39 cfs | → |
| Yahara River At State Hwy 113 At Madison | 57 cfs | → |
| Spring Creek Near Waunakee | 7 cfs | → |
| Yahara River At Mc Farland | 120 cfs | → |
| Pheasant Branch At Middleton | 3 cfs | → |
| Yahara River At Windsor | 23 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Mendota At Madison.
Boat launches
- Yahara River -- Access
- Law Park - Boat Launch
- Lake Mendota -- Memorial Union
- Lake Monona -- Olbrich Park Access
- Warner Park - Boat Launch
- Brittingham Park Path Madison
Campgrounds
- Babcock County Park Campground
- Token Creek County Park
- Badger Prairie Park Dca
- Andersen Preserve Dca
- Springfield Hill Dca
- Eastern Lodi Marsh Dca
Paddle runs
- Honey Creek (County Road Y On The Southern Bank) To The State Route 130 Highway Bridge Crossing At Lone Rock
- Lone Rock To The Confluence Of The Green And Wisconsin Rivers
More reservoirs
Track Lake Mendota At Madison in the Snoflo app
Save this reservoir as a favorite and set push alerts when storage crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me at 80% of normal").
About Lake Mendota At Madison
Where does the data for Lake Mendota At Madison come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this reservoir, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Lake Mendota At Madison.