States

Cougar Lake

near Rainbow, OR · Oregon · USGS gauge
1,5271,5281,5291,5301,531
Water level · NGVD29
1,528.67FT
Gauge elevation · no % full published
7 days −4.37 ft30 days −17.98 ftvs last year +14.84 ft
Reading for Oct 25, 2026, 18:50 UTC · page refreshed Oct 25, 20:24 UTC
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (Water Data for the Nation)
Worth going today?Today
Looks good
Light wind, dry
Wind3 to 9 mph
Rain26%
Temp64°F
Level1,528.7 ft
TodayMostly Cloudy then Chance Light Rain · 64°F
WSW 3 to 9 mph · rain 26%
TonightRain · 40°F
SSW 5 mph · rain 94%
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

As of Oct 25, 2026, Cougar Lake stood at 1,528.67 (NGVD29) ft.

Over the past 7 days the lake has been falling (−4.37 ft), and it is −17.98 ft over 30 days.

Compared with a year ago (1,513.83 ft, same time of day), the lake is 14.84 ft higher.

Readings come from the USGS gauge “COUGAR LAKE NEAR RAINBOW, OR”. USGS data are provisional and may be revised. Gauge elevations are not directly comparable between lakes because each uses its own datum.

Lake facts

Gauge / stationCOUGAR LAKE NEAR RAINBOW, OR
Elevation datumft (NGVD29)
Gauge location44.1274, -122.2447

Nearby lakes

Blue River Lake5 mi NW1,218.05 ft−10.36 ftGreen Peter Lake27 mi NW852.07 ft−12.32 ftFall Creek Lake28 mi SW764.11 ft−3.12 ftFoster Lake29 mi NW613.63 ft+0.27 ftLookout Point Lake29 mi SW803.30 ft−4.68 ft

Common questions

Is Cougar Lake rising or falling?

Over the last 7 days it changed −4.37 ft and over 30 days −17.98 ft.

How full is Cougar 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. USGS data are provisional and subject to revision. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USGS. See data sources.