Trinity Lake reservoir
Trinity Lake
Trinity Lake is a reservoir located in Trinity County, California, formed by the Trinity Dam on the Trinity River. The lake was created in 1961 as part of the Central Valley Project, a federal water management project. The lake's hydrology is regulated by the dam and the Trinity River, which provides the lake with water from snowpack and rainfall in the surrounding mountains. The lake serves as a source of irrigation water for agriculture in the surrounding areas, as well as a popular destination for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping. The lake's surface flow is also important for downstream water users, including several Native American tribes that rely on the Trinity River for their livelihoods. Despite concerns over drought and water management in California, the lake remains an important resource for the region.
Daily levels at Trinity 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 Trinity Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Trinity R A Lewiston Ca | 1,190 cfs | → |
| Rush C Nr Lewiston Ca | 21 cfs | → |
| Grass Valley C Nr Lewiston Ca | 18 cfs | → |
| Trinity R Bl Limekiln Gulch Nr Douglas City Ca | 1,250 cfs | → |
| Indian C Nr Douglas City Ca | 30 cfs | → |
| Trinity R A Douglas City Ca | 1,260 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Trinity Lake.
⚓ Boat launches
- Fairview Marina Drive, Lewiston
- Trinity Dam Boulevard Trinity County
- Granite Peak Road, Trinity Center
- Rush Creek Road 7542, Trinity County
- Bucktail Hole
- Dump Hole
⛺ Campgrounds
- Ackerman Campground
- Ackerman
- Tunnel Rock
- Tunnel Rock Campground
- Mariners Roost
- Mariners Roost Boat-In Campground
🎣 Fishing spots
More fishing →🛶 Paddle runs
- Canyon Creek Trailhead To Confluence With Mainstream Trinity River
- Headwaters At Outlet Of Lower Canyon Creek Lake To Canyon Creek Trailhead At Ripstein Canyon Creek Trailhead At Ripstein
- Clear Creek
- North Fork Cottonwood Creek
- Confluence Of Tributaries In Sec 6 Near Black Mtn. To Confluence With Blind Horse Creek
- Middle Fork Cottonwood Creek
Track Trinity 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 Trinity Lake
Where does the data for Trinity 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 Trinity Lake.