French Meadows reservoir
French Meadows
French Meadows is a beautiful area located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The area has a rich history dating back to the Native American tribes that once lived there. The hydrology of French Meadows is fed by the American River and several nearby creeks. The surface flow is provided by the Middle Fork of the American River, which runs through the area. The snowpack is primarily provided by the nearby mountains, which receive heavy snowfall during the winter months. The area is known for its recreational opportunities, including camping, hiking, fishing, and hunting. There are also several agricultural activities in the area, including grazing and farming. French Meadows is a beautiful and important area of California that provides many benefits to the state and its inhabitants.
Daily levels at French Meadows
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 French Meadows -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot C Ab Stumpy Meadows Res Ca | 3 cfs | → |
| Pilot C Bl Mutton Canyon Nr Georgetown Ca | 2 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 | → |
| Truckee R Nr Truckee Ca | 576 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near French Meadows.
Boat launches
- Mosquito Ridge Rd, California
- Dry Lakes Trail El Dorado County
- Ice House Road El Dorado County
- Oxbow Raft Put-In Site
- Lake Spaulding Road 10260, Nevada City
- Iowa Hill Road Placer County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- French Meadows Reservoir
- Loon Lake
- Buck Island Lake
- Stumpy Meadows Lake
- Union Valley Reservoir
- Donner Lake
Track French Meadows 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 French Meadows
Where does the data for French Meadows 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 French Meadows.