San Luis Reservoir (State) reservoir
San Luis Reservoir (State)
San Luis Reservoir is the largest off-stream reservoir in California, located in Merced County. It was constructed in 1962 and is managed by the California Department of Water Resources. The reservoir is fed by two rivers, the San Joaquin and Merced Rivers, and is primarily used for agricultural irrigation in the Central Valley. The water supply for the reservoir is reliant on both surface flow and snowpack from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The reservoir has a capacity of up to 2,041,000 acre-feet of water and covers an area of 12,700 acres. It is a recreational destination for boating, fishing, and camping, and is also used for wildlife habitat conservation. The reservoir is an important source of water for the surrounding communities and farms in the area.
Daily levels at San Luis Reservoir (State)
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
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 San Luis Reservoir (State) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mud Slough Nr Gustine Ca | 53 cfs | → |
| Salt Slough A Hwy 165 Nr Stevinson Ca | 38 cfs | → |
| Pacheco C Nr Dunneville Ca | 3 cfs | → |
| San Joaquin R A Fremont Ford Bridge Ca | 349 cfs | → |
| Orestimba C Nr Newman Ca | · | → |
| Tres Pinos C Nr Tres Pinos Ca | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near San Luis Reservoir (State).
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Los Banos Creek - San Luis Reservoir
- Basalt State Rec Area - San Luis Reservoir
- Medeiros State Rec Area - San Luis Reservoir
- San Luis Creek - San Luis Reservoir
- Mercey Hot Springs
- Wilson Camp
Fishing spots
- Los Banos Reservoir
- O&Acute;Neill Forebay
- Oneill Forebay
- San Luis Reservoir
- San Justo Reservoir
- Coyote Lake
Paddle runs
Track San Luis Reservoir (State) 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 San Luis Reservoir (State)
Where does the data for San Luis Reservoir (State) 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 San Luis Reservoir (State).