Buck Island Lake reservoir
Buck Island Lake
Buck Island Lake is a man-made reservoir located in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains in California, USA. It was created in the 1960s as part of the Buckhorn Hydroelectric Project, which was designed to generate electricity for Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). The lake is fed by several creeks, including Buckhorn Creek and a diversion from the Middle Yuba River, and its water is used to generate hydroelectric power. The reservoir is also used for recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, and camping. The surrounding area is primarily forested and there are no agricultural uses for the lake. Snowpack provides water for the lake during the winter months, and the lake serves as a source of water for downstream communities during the dry season. Buck Island Lake is an important source of hydroelectric power and a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Daily levels at Buck Island Lake
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
Storage
acre-ft · code 2
Pool Elevation
ft · code 1
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Buck Island Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| General C Nr Meeks Bay Ca | 16 cfs | → |
| Blackwood C Nr Tahoe City Ca | 87 cfs | → |
| Ward C At Hwy 89 Nr Tahoe Pines Ca | 53 cfs | → |
| Truckee R A Tahoe City Ca | 352 cfs | → |
| Up Truckee R A South Lake Tahoe Ca | 213 cfs | → |
| Trout C Nr Tahoe Valley Ca | 52 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Buck Island Lake.
⚓ Boat launches
- Ice House Road El Dorado County
- Dry Lakes Trail El Dorado County
- Mosquito Ridge Rd, California
- Junction Boat Ramp Road El Dorado County
- Cave Rock Boat Launch Douglas County
- Lakeshore Boulevard , 89452 Nevada
⛺ Campgrounds
- Pleasant Campground
- Pleasant Dispersed
- Northshore
- Red Fir Group Campground
- Northshore Campground
- Loon Lake Campground
🎣 Fishing spots
More fishing →Track Buck Island Lake in the Snoflo app
Save this reservoir as a favorite and set push alerts when storage crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me at 80% of normal").
About Buck Island Lake
Where does the data for Buck Island Lake come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this reservoir, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Buck Island Lake.