Overview
Mark Twain Lake is an approximately 18,600-acre reservoir on the Salt River in Monroe and Ralls counties in northeastern Missouri, southwest of Hannibal. It was created when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Clarence Cannon Dam in 1984. The multipurpose project provides flood risk management, hydroelectric power, water supply, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation, with incidental benefits to Mississippi River navigation.
At normal pool the lake has about 285 miles of shoreline, averages 29 feet deep, and reaches about 85 feet near the dam. The reservoir extends some 30 miles up the Salt River forks through rolling farmland and timbered hills, with a mix of open water, creek arms, and points. During floods the pool can expand to roughly 38,400 acres at the top of the flood-control pool.
Mark Twain is a regional destination for boating, camping, and fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and walleye, with fisheries managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Corps recreation areas, Mark Twain State Park, marinas, and boat ramps provide public access, and the lake surrounds the historic village of Florida, Mark Twain's birthplace.
Water levels on Mark Twain Lake are managed by the Corps of Engineers around a normal pool of 606 feet above mean sea level (NGVD29), with a flood-control pool extending to 638 feet. Releases through Clarence Cannon Dam and its downstream re-regulation pool respond to Salt River inflow and Mississippi River conditions, so monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and dock access.
Mark Twain Lake Right Now
Mark Twain Lake is currently 3.14 feet below full pool and has risen 0.14 feet over the past week. Today's forecast calls for mostly cloudy then slight chance rain showers with a high around 70°F.
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Mark Twain Lake is a 18,600-acre reservoir on the Salt River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Louis District).