HydrionisGlobal Water Intelligence
Monitored reservoir

Canyon Ferry Lake

Canyon Ferry Lake is a federal reservoir operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation in its Great Plains region, with published operating records from 1953.

Storage recordCanyon Ferry Lake Dam Powerplant and Helena Valley Pumping Plant

Storage now, against this reservoir's own record

1,989.30 Mm³
Stored, August 2026
19th
Percentile among 74 Augs on record
-6.6%
Against the Aug 1991–2020 average
+2.7%
Change over the 12 months to 2026-08

Storage in August 2026 was lower than most Augs on record, ranked against 74 other Augs held for this reservoir.

Storage, 1953–2026

Monthly mean storage
881 monthly values, 1953 to 2026
Monthly mean storageMonthly mean storage: Canyon Ferry Lake in Mm³, from 1953.25 to 2026.5833333333333.01,0002,0003,000Mm³1953.251962.51971.7519811990.251999.52008.752018Year

Monthly means of the publisher's daily record. Volume, not percentage of capacity — see below for why.

What the shaded periods are (0 events)

Not shown on this chart

  • The 1976 drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • The 2022 drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • Yorkshire drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • Cantareira water crisis, São Paulo — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • Cape Town Day Zero — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • European drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
View the data behind this chart
240 of 881 periods, evenly spaced across the record. Every value is in the download and the API; a table of all 881 would be longer than this page and unusable with a screen reader.
PeriodCanyon Ferry Lake (Mm³)
April 195381.7
August 1953949
November 19531,157
March 19541,050
July 19541,723
October 19541,769
February 19551,575
June 19552,101
September 19552,358
January 19562,089
May 19562,117
September 19562,240
December 19562,186
April 19571,808
August 19572,315
November 19572,229
March 19581,948
July 19582,451
October 19582,101
February 19592,091
June 19592,458
September 19592,410
January 19602,154
May 19602,407
August 19602,229
December 19601,929
April 19611,842
July 19611,949
November 19611,785
March 19621,546
June 19622,346
October 19622,397
February 19632,430
June 19632,495
September 19632,266
January 19642,148
May 19642,231
August 19642,436
December 19642,374
April 19651,985
July 19652,506
November 19652,141
March 19661,893
June 19661,946
October 19661,706
February 19671,534
May 19671,388
September 19672,129
January 19682,173
April 19681,714
August 19682,235
December 19682,240
March 19691,900
July 19692,392
November 19692,306
March 19701,980
June 19702,236
October 19702,193
February 19711,992
May 19711,653
September 19712,250
January 19722,124
April 19721,963
August 19722,181
December 19721,939
March 19731,780
July 19732,322
November 19732,283
February 19742,012
June 19742,282
October 19742,056
January 19752,000
May 19751,701
September 19752,385
December 19752,315
April 19761,872
August 19762,305
December 19762,379
March 19772,124
July 19772,333
November 19772,302
February 19781,928
June 19782,269
October 19782,208
January 19791,910
May 19791,978
September 19792,091
December 19792,090
April 19801,874
August 19802,198
November 19802,317
March 19811,960
July 19812,367
October 19812,098
February 19821,903
June 19822,193
September 19822,196
January 19832,215
May 19831,970
September 19832,272
December 19832,299
April 19841,941
August 19842,349
November 19842,003
March 19851,700
July 19852,083
October 19852,069
February 19861,830
June 19862,338
September 19862,118
January 19872,000
May 19871,955
August 19871,979
December 19871,933
April 19881,808
July 19882,109
November 19881,756
March 19891,563
June 19891,896
October 19891,811
February 19901,790
June 19902,104
September 19902,051
January 19911,890
May 19911,859
August 19912,157
December 19911,987
April 19921,795
July 19921,977
November 19921,930
March 19931,747
June 19932,404
October 19932,293
February 19941,901
May 19942,013
September 19941,874
January 19951,873
April 19951,863
August 19952,338
December 19952,264
March 19961,838
July 19962,402
November 19962,119
March 19971,564
June 19972,340
October 19972,281
February 19982,100
May 19982,072
September 19982,136
January 19992,072
April 19991,695
August 19992,142
December 19991,964
March 20001,815
July 20002,014
November 20001,776
February 20011,798
June 20011,983
October 20011,704
January 20021,724
May 20021,768
September 20022,110
December 20022,042
April 20031,994
August 20032,079
December 20031,842
March 20041,698
July 20041,880
November 20041,730
February 20051,698
June 20052,203
October 20051,875
January 20061,754
May 20061,702
September 20061,931
December 20061,907
April 20071,959
August 20072,047
November 20071,848
March 20081,745
July 20082,370
October 20082,138
February 20091,931
June 20092,276
September 20092,130
January 20101,967
May 20102,005
September 20102,191
December 20102,026
April 20111,704
August 20112,315
November 20112,109
March 20121,894
July 20122,276
October 20121,902
February 20131,883
June 20131,976
September 20131,809
January 20141,824
May 20141,682
August 20142,192
December 20142,010
April 20151,910
July 20152,205
November 20151,828
March 20161,819
June 20162,296
October 20161,829
February 20171,770
June 20172,254
September 20171,937
January 20181,822
May 20181,852
August 20182,188
December 20182,017
April 20191,817
July 20192,355
November 20192,025
March 20201,768
June 20202,258
October 20201,877
February 20211,775
May 20211,831
September 20211,719
January 20221,593
April 20221,589
August 20222,130
December 20221,769
March 20231,674
July 20232,292
November 20232,080
March 20241,896
June 20242,255
October 20241,803
February 20251,719
May 20251,974
September 20251,799
January 20261,818
April 20261,881
August 20261,989

The reservoir's year

Seasonal storage profile
Each calendar month's reference average, against the most recent year
Seasonal storage profileSeasonal storage profile: 1991–2020 average, Most recent 12 months in Mm³, from 1 to 12.01,0002,000Mm³123456789101112Month1991–2020 average 1: 1,901 Mm³1991–2020 average 2: 1,844 Mm³1991–2020 average 3: 1,801 Mm³1991–2020 average 4: 1,796 Mm³1991–2020 average 5: 1,879 Mm³1991–2020 average 6: 2,196 Mm³1991–2020 average 7: 2,266 Mm³1991–2020 average 8: 2,130 Mm³1991–2020 average 9: 2,008 Mm³1991–2020 average 10: 1,962 Mm³1991–2020 average 11: 1,982 Mm³1991–2020 average 12: 1,963 Mm³Most recent 12 months 1: 1,818 Mm³Most recent 12 months 2: 1,791 Mm³Most recent 12 months 3: 1,790 Mm³Most recent 12 months 4: 1,881 Mm³Most recent 12 months 5: 1,933 Mm³Most recent 12 months 6: 2,027 Mm³Most recent 12 months 7: 2,074 Mm³Most recent 12 months 8: 1,989 Mm³Most recent 12 months 9: 1,799 Mm³Most recent 12 months 10: 1,751 Mm³Most recent 12 months 11: 1,775 Mm³Most recent 12 months 12: 1,803 Mm³
  • 1991–2020 average
  • Most recent 12 months

Twelve separate averages, one per calendar month. A January average describes Januaries only. Months are plotted 1–12.

View the data behind this chart
Underlying data
Period1991–2020 average (Mm³)Most recent 12 months (Mm³)
Jan1,9011,818
Feb1,8441,791
Mar1,8011,790
Apr1,7961,881
May1,8791,933
Jun2,1962,027
Jul2,2662,074
Aug2,1301,989
Sep2,0081,799
Oct1,9621,751
Nov1,9821,775
Dec1,9631,803

Why this page shows a volume and not a percentage

Water level

Monthly mean water surface elevation
881 monthly values
Monthly mean water surface elevationMonthly mean water surface elevation: Canyon Ferry Lake in m, from 1953.25 to 2026.5833333333333.1,1201,1301,1401,1501,160m1953.251962.51971.7519811990.251999.52008.752018Year

An elevation above a datum, not a depth of water and not a distance below the crest. Levels at different reservoirs are measured against different datums and must not be read against one another; this line is comparable only with its own history. Elevation and volume are not proportional either — a metre near the bottom of a reservoir holds far less water than a metre near the top, because the surface area grows with height.

What the shaded periods are (0 events)

Not shown on this chart

  • The 1976 drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • The 2022 drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • Yorkshire drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • Cantareira water crisis, São Paulo — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • Cape Town Day Zero — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
  • European drought — This event’s area does not contain this chart’s subject. Sharing a country is not sharing an event, so it is not drawn.
View the data behind this chart
240 of 881 periods, evenly spaced across the record. Every value is in the download and the API; a table of all 881 would be longer than this page and unusable with a screen reader.
PeriodCanyon Ferry Lake (m)
1953.251,121
1953.58333333333331,143
1953.83333333333331,146
1954.16666666666671,145
1954.51,152
1954.751,152
1955.08333333333331,151
1955.41666666666671,155
1955.66666666666671,157
19561,155
1956.33333333333331,155
1956.66666666666671,156
1956.91666666666671,156
1957.251,153
1957.58333333333331,157
1957.83333333333331,156
1958.16666666666671,154
1958.51,158
1958.751,155
1959.08333333333331,155
1959.41666666666671,158
1959.66666666666671,157
19601,155
1960.33333333333331,157
1960.58333333333331,156
1960.91666666666671,154
1961.251,153
1961.51,154
1961.83333333333331,153
1962.16666666666671,150
1962.41666666666671,157
1962.751,157
1963.08333333333331,158
1963.41666666666671,158
1963.66666666666671,156
19641,155
1964.33333333333331,156
1964.58333333333331,158
1964.91666666666671,157
1965.251,154
1965.51,158
1965.83333333333331,155
1966.16666666666671,153
1966.41666666666671,154
1966.751,152
1967.08333333333331,150
1967.33333333333331,149
1967.66666666666671,155
19681,156
1968.251,152
1968.58333333333331,156
1968.91666666666671,156
1969.16666666666671,153
1969.51,157
1969.83333333333331,157
1970.16666666666671,154
1970.41666666666671,156
1970.751,156
1971.08333333333331,154
1971.33333333333331,151
1971.66666666666671,156
19721,155
1972.251,154
1972.58333333333331,156
1972.91666666666671,154
1973.16666666666671,152
1973.51,157
1973.83333333333331,156
1974.08333333333331,154
1974.41666666666671,156
1974.751,155
19751,154
1975.33333333333331,152
1975.66666666666671,157
1975.91666666666671,157
1976.251,153
1976.58333333333331,157
1976.91666666666671,157
1977.16666666666671,155
1977.51,157
1977.83333333333331,157
1978.08333333333331,154
1978.41666666666671,156
1978.751,156
19791,154
1979.33333333333331,154
1979.66666666666671,155
1979.91666666666671,155
1980.251,153
1980.58333333333331,156
1980.83333333333331,157
1981.16666666666671,154
1981.51,157
1981.751,155
1982.08333333333331,154
1982.41666666666671,156
1982.66666666666671,156
19831,156
1983.33333333333331,154
1983.66666666666671,156
1983.91666666666671,157
1984.251,154
1984.58333333333331,157
1984.83333333333331,154
1985.16666666666671,152
1985.51,155
1985.751,155
1986.08333333333331,153
1986.41666666666671,157
1986.66666666666671,155
19871,154
1987.33333333333331,154
1987.58333333333331,154
1987.91666666666671,154
1988.251,153
1988.51,155
1988.83333333333331,152
1989.16666666666671,150
1989.41666666666671,153
1989.751,153
1990.08333333333331,152
1990.41666666666671,155
1990.66666666666671,155
19911,153
1991.33333333333331,153
1991.58333333333331,155
1991.91666666666671,154
1992.251,153
1992.51,154
1992.83333333333331,154
1993.16666666666671,152
1993.41666666666671,157
1993.751,156
1994.08333333333331,153
1994.33333333333331,154
1994.66666666666671,153
19951,153
1995.251,153
1995.58333333333331,157
1995.91666666666671,156
1996.16666666666671,153
1996.51,157
1996.83333333333331,155
1997.16666666666671,150
1997.41666666666671,157
1997.751,156
1998.08333333333331,155
1998.33333333333331,155
1998.66666666666671,155
19991,155
1999.251,152
1999.58333333333331,156
1999.91666666666671,155
2000.16666666666671,153
2000.51,155
2000.83333333333331,153
2001.08333333333331,153
2001.41666666666671,155
2001.751,152
20021,153
2002.33333333333331,153
2002.66666666666671,156
2002.91666666666671,155
2003.251,155
2003.58333333333331,155
2003.91666666666671,154
2004.16666666666671,152
2004.51,154
2004.83333333333331,153
2005.08333333333331,152
2005.41666666666671,156
2005.751,154
20061,153
2006.33333333333331,152
2006.66666666666671,154
2006.91666666666671,154
2007.251,154
2007.58333333333331,155
2007.83333333333331,154
2008.16666666666671,153
2008.51,158
2008.751,156
2009.08333333333331,154
2009.41666666666671,157
2009.66666666666671,156
20101,155
2010.33333333333331,155
2010.66666666666671,156
2010.91666666666671,155
2011.251,152
2011.58333333333331,157
2011.83333333333331,156
2012.16666666666671,154
2012.51,157
2012.751,154
2013.08333333333331,154
2013.41666666666671,155
2013.66666666666671,153
20141,153
2014.33333333333331,152
2014.58333333333331,156
2014.91666666666671,155
2015.251,154
2015.51,156
2015.83333333333331,153
2016.16666666666671,153
2016.41666666666671,157
2016.751,153
2017.08333333333331,153
2017.41666666666671,157
2017.66666666666671,154
20181,153
2018.33333333333331,154
2018.58333333333331,156
2018.91666666666671,155
2019.251,153
2019.51,157
2019.83333333333331,155
2020.16666666666671,153
2020.41666666666671,157
2020.751,154
2021.08333333333331,153
2021.33333333333331,154
2021.66666666666671,153
20221,152
2022.251,152
2022.58333333333331,156
2022.91666666666671,153
2023.16666666666671,152
2023.51,157
2023.83333333333331,156
2024.16666666666671,154
2024.41666666666671,157
2024.751,153
2025.08333333333331,153
2025.33333333333331,155
2025.66666666666671,153
20261,153
2026.251,154
2026.58333333333331,155

Rate and persistence

+4.41 Mm³
Mean change per month over 12 months
14 of 24
Recent months below the 20th percentile for their own month

Rates are computed only across an unbroken run of months, so a rate is never divided by a period in which some of the change was not observed. Percentile counts compare each month with the same calendar month in every other year held.

Location

Canyon Ferry Lake
Gauge location
Canyon Ferry LakeCanyon Ferry Lake — 1,989.30 Mm³Canyon Ferry Lake — 1,989.30 Mm³

About this data

About this data

Everything below is a property of the data rather than a rating of it. There is deliberately no single confidence score: how much a gap matters depends on what you are about to do with the series, and only you know that.

Source
United States Bureau of Reclamation — Reservoir operations and Colorado River data · US Government work — public domain
How the values came to existMeasured
Period held1953–2026
Completeness99.2% of the periods in that span are held. Gaps are drawn as breaks and never interpolated.
Known gaps
  • Storage is a managed quantity. A falling line can be a rule curve, a scheduled release or a transfer to another system rather than a shortage of water, and nothing here distinguishes them.
  • No capacity figure on a stated basis is held for this reservoir, so no percentage of capacity is computed.
Continuity99% of the months between 1953 and 2026 are held. Monthly means of the publisher's own daily record.
Last read from the publisher2026-09-01
RedistributionPermitted by the upstream licences
Commercial reusePermitted by the upstream licences. No Hydrionis access tier can widen this.
MethodologyHow this was produced

Use this data

Use this data

No bulk download is offered here, which is a licence position rather than a product one: at least one contributing publisher does not permit redistribution. The values can be read on the page, cited, and pointed to at source.

Attribution and citation

Suggested citation for Hydrionis

Hydrionis (2026), Canyon Ferry Lake reservoir records, accessed 2026-09-02, hydrionis.com/reservoirs/reservoir-usbr-295/

Cite Hydrionis where you rely on the compilation, the normalisation, the eligibility judgements or a chart. Where you use an unmodified published value, the publisher’s attribution is the one that is required; crediting Hydrionis as well is welcome and is not something Hydrionis can require of you.

Recommended, not required. Hydrionis does not claim rights over unmodified public data it relayed, and doing arithmetic on somebody else’s measurements does not make them Hydrionis’s. Cite the version and the access date: the Canyon Ferry Lake record changes as publishers release and as methods are revised, and a citation without both cannot be checked later. Full guidance is on cite and reuse.

None of the contributing licences requires attribution. Crediting the publishers is still good practice and they are listed above.

Where this comes from

881 monthly observations 1953–2026 Mm³
Spatially aggregatedHigh confidenceAugust 2026

Source: USBR — Reservoir operations and Colorado River data, RISE catalogue item 13. Licence: Open.

Method: Monthly mean of the daily values published by the Bureau of Reclamation in acre-feet, converted to Mm³. Months with fewer than 20 days of record are not published rather than averaged from a partial month.

Stored as a volume and not as a share of capacity: the operator publishes what is in the reservoir but not what it holds when full, so a percentage cannot be computed without inventing the denominator.

Retrieved 1 September 2026.

Monthly mean of the daily values published by the Bureau of Reclamation in acre-feet, converted to Mm³. Months with fewer than 20 days of record are not published rather than averaged from a partial month.

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