Otsego Lake

Name: Otsego Lake (Michigan) water level
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey

near Gaylord, MI · Michigan · USGS gauge

Water level · NAVD88

1,273.28FT

Gauge elevation · no % full published

7 days +0.03 ft30 days −0.04 ft

Reading for Oct 25, 2026, 18:00 UTC · page refreshed Oct 25, 21:16 UTC
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (Water Data for the Nation)

Worth going today?This Afternoon

Looks good

Light wind, dry

Wind5 to 10 mph

Rain10%

Temp68°F

Level1,273.3 ft

This AfternoonMostly Sunny · 68°F
W 5 to 10 mph · rain 10%

TonightSlight Chance Rain Showers · 43°F
NW 5 mph · rain 22%

NWS forecast for the gauge location. Good = wind ≤ 10 mph and rain ≤ 30%; storms are flagged. Not safety advice – check local conditions, closures and warnings.

Field notes

Otsego Lake's latest daily level (Oct 25, 2026) is 1,273.28 (NAVD88) ft.

The level has been roughly steady over the past week (+0.03 ft).

Readings come from the USGS gauge “OTSEGO LAKE NEAR GAYLORD, MI”. Gauge elevations are not directly comparable between lakes because each uses its own datum.

Lake facts

Gauge / station	OTSEGO LAKE NEAR GAYLORD, MI
Elevation datum	ft (NAVD88)
Gauge location	44.9306, -84.6923

Nearby lakes

Higgins Lake35 mi S1,153.65 ft−0.03 ft Houghton Lake37 mi S1,137.60 ft−0.10 ft Lake St Helen41 mi S1,154.83 ft−0.15 ft Mullett Lake46 mi N592.77 ft−0.29 ft Van Etten Lake74 mi SE588.62 ft+0.14 ft

Common questions

Is Otsego Lake rising or falling?

Over the last 7 days it changed +0.03 ft and over 30 days −0.04 ft.

How full is Otsego Lake?

USGS publishes the water surface elevation for this gauge but not a percent-full figure, so we don't show one rather than estimate it.

How often is this page updated?

The page is rebuilt automatically every day from USGS's published data. Values can be revised later by the source agency.

Where does the data come from?

The U.S. Geological Survey's Water Data API (api.waterdata.usgs.gov), which publishes readings from USGS and partner gauges. Forecasts come from the National Weather Service.

Latest instantaneous reading; 7-day, 30-day and year-ago changes compare readings at the same hour. USGS data are provisional and subject to revision. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USGS. See data sources.