Buchanan Dam reservoir
Buchanan Dam
Buchanan Dam is located in California, and it was constructed in the 1930s to control the flow of the San Joaquin River. The dam is operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, and it serves as a significant source of hydroelectric power for the region. The dam also provides water for irrigation purposes and recreation for the surrounding communities. The dam has a capacity of 1,565,400 acre-feet, and it is fed by specific surface flows and snowpack providers like the San Joaquin River and the Sierra Nevada snowpack. The water stored in Buchanan Dam is used for agricultural purposes, including citrus and almond crops. The dam also provides recreational opportunities for fishing, boating, and camping.
Daily levels at Buchanan Dam
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 Buchanan Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin R Bl Friant Ca | 520 cfs | → |
| Nf Willow C Nr Sugar Pine Ca | 416 cfs | → |
| Big C Div Nr Fish Camp Ca | 0 cfs | → |
| San Joaquin R Nr Mendota Ca | 149 cfs | → |
| Merced R A Pohono Bridge Nr Yosemite Ca | 2,040 cfs | → |
| Turlock Cn Nr La Grange Ca | 1,210 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Buchanan Dam.
Boat launches
- Road 29 Madera County
- County Road 29 Madera County
- Madera County
- San Joaquin River Trail, Friant
- Redinger Boating Site
Campgrounds
- Cordoniz Campground
- Wildcat Primitive Campground
- Cordoniz Group Area South
- Cordoniz Group Area North
- Codorniz Rec Area
- Hidden View Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Confluence With North Fork San Joaquin River To Hells Half Acre
- Confluence With Middle Fork Tuolumne River To Confluence With Tuolumne River
- Headwaters Near The Tuolumne And Mariposa County Lines To Western Boundary Of Yosemite National Park
- Clavey River From Cottonwood Road To Confluence With Tuolumne
- Hemlock Crossing To Confluence With Cora Creek
- Cora Creek To Confluence With San Joaquin River
More reservoirs
Track Buchanan Dam 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 Buchanan Dam
Where does the data for Buchanan Dam 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 Buchanan Dam.