The net gains and losses in water level for Soap Lake versus the Soap Lake water elevation. Net change is the amount of precipitation gained in the wintertime and springtime compared to how much is lost in the summertime from evaporation and higher temperatures. The net change for Soap Lake has been showing more losses than gains for the past five years. Which aligns with the elevation of the lake, less gains result in lower lake levels.
July 5, 2025
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Soap Lake Conservancy meeting highlights challenges for lake health
SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Conservancy held a special meeting Saturday to discuss Soap Lake water level trends. The meeting brought in experts from the Washington Department of Ecology, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District. “A couple of years ago, a few of the people in this room started calling the Department of Ecology with concerns,” DOE Eastern Region Contact, Jaime Short said. “The lake level was going down. What's going on?”