WashingtonReservoir, 11,700 acres, Whatcom County
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1,573.10ft
Down 3.80 ft this week
Sailing
CheckingReading the forecast
Kayak and SUP
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Power boating
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Fishing
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Outlook. Monday: E wind 1 to 4 kt, gusts to 5 kt, high near 53°F, 68% chance of rain. Tuesday: S wind 3 to 6 kt, gusts to 8 kt, high near 48°F, 99% chance of rain.
7-day wind forecastLoads when you scroll here
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Last hour of NOAA MRMS radar, 1 km resolution. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenMapTiles, OpenFreeMap.
1,573.10ft (gage datum)
-3.80 ft in 7 days7.69 ft below the October normal
Reading from Oct 26, 2026. Shaded band: range of October averages on record; dashed line is the typical level.
Ross Lake was at 1,573.10 ft on the gage on October 26, falling 3.80 ft over the past week. That is below normal for October: the typical October level is 1,580.79 ft, so the lake is 7.69 ft below its usual mark.
Background reading: Ross Lake on Wikipedia
Set in Whatcom County, Washington, Ross Lake is a 11,700-acre reservoir. The surface sits about 1,604 ft above sea level and the deepest point is roughly 540 ft down.
We read the level from USGS gauge 12175000, listed as Ross Reservoir near Newhalem, WA. Wind and weather come from the National Weather Service grid cell over the lake, so the numbers describe open water rather than the nearest airport.
On a lake this size the wind has miles of open water to work with, so a 15 kt breeze can stack up a steep chop in the main basin while sheltered coves stay flat. Reservoir levels move with releases and inflow, so ramps and beaches can change week to week. The water level page tracks that day by day.
The go or no-go calls above are a starting point, not a guarantee. Read how we score conditions, and always check local rules and posted warnings before you launch.
The National Weather Service forecast for the lake from October 26: Monday: E wind 1 to 4 kt, gusts to 5 kt, high near 53°F, 68% chance of rain. The panel at the top of this page refreshes the current wind, gusts and direction when you open it and turns them into a call for sailing, paddling, power boating and fishing.
Ross Lake was at 1,573.10 ft on the gage on October 26, falling 3.80 ft over the past week. That is below normal for October: the typical October level is 1,580.79 ft, so the lake is 7.69 ft below its usual mark.
Ross Lake covers about 11,700 acres (18 square miles) of surface water.
The deepest point of Ross Lake is roughly 540 ft.
If Ross is blown out, these are the closest alternatives. Tap through for their conditions.